


Riley and Jenny Solve Mysteries

by thefantastickatinator



Series: Chronicles of Riley and Jenny [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Not Severus Snape Friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 80,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27168539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefantastickatinator/pseuds/thefantastickatinator
Summary: I wonder how the Unbitten escaped our hands...Jenny is suspicious of Hogwarts's newest Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher.Riley is plagued by mysterious dreams of a life that isn't her own.Both seek out the truth throughout their fourth year at Hogwarts.WARNING: This is not Snape friendly. If you like Severus Snape, do not read this story
Relationships: One-sided Original Female Character / Severus Snape, Original Female Character & Original Female Character, Original Female Character & Original Male Character
Series: Chronicles of Riley and Jenny [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/993024





	1. In Which Jenny Has an Actually Good Summer

**Author's Note:**

> Here's Book Four. Book Five isn't finished yet, and I won't have the series finished by the end of year most likely, but hopefully it'll be done by the time I finish posting this one.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny goes on a family vacation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

Jenny stood on the top of a grassy hill, her blue button up shirt blowing gently in the warm breeze. Her hair tickled her face. She stretched out her gloved hand, waiting. A distant caw floated to her ears. She looked up to the sky. Moments later, a black shape appeared. The raven swooped down and landed on her wrist. Jenny gave it a little scratch.

“Good girl, Sable,” she crooned.

“Jenny, lunch is ready! Are you coming?” Jeremy called from the villa. 

“Just a minute!” Jenny transferred Sable to her shoulder.

When she arrived, Riley, Jeremy, and Riley’s father sat at the table. The scent of duck reached her nose and Jenny smiled. She took her seat next to Riley’s father.

“How did your training go, Jenny?” he asked.

“Very well, Vova. She is very intelligent. I don’t even have to call her for her to come to me. Thank you for getting her for me,” Jenny said.

“Sometimes I wish you had let me get you a bat. Or even an owl. Why a crow?” he complained gently.

“Vova, she’s a raven. She’s also extremely intimidating. They’re already used to Riley’s bat, and Nyx usually only shows up at night. Sable can fly in the daytime, so she’ll stand out even more,” Jenny explained.

“You’re going to terrify your entire school with that bird,” Jeremy said from across the table.

“Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy. That’s the whole point. Besides, I definitely won’t scare the whole school. Nobody’s as scary as the darkest wizard of all time, Plodding Squats,” Jenny said. 

“Oh, that’s a new one,” Riley said.

“That’s what I usually do every summer. I spend all of my time thinking up a new really good name for Moldy Warts.” Jenny stroked Sable’s feathers.

“I would really love to see you face off against You Know Who with that raven. Didn’t the history books say he had some really big snake that went with him everywhere?” Riley said.

“Isn’t there a House called Ravenclaw?” Edward said.

“Yes, there is. No, I’m not trying to make a point. I’m thinking of collecting all four House animals and having my own entourage. I just need a badger, a snake, and a lion. The badger and snake shouldn’t be too much work, but where am I going to get a lion? Vova, do you think you could buy me lion?” Jenny said slyly.

Riley poked her. “Don’t listen to her, Father. She’s just trying to scare Edward. Do not buy her a lion.”

“Of course, dearest. Though if she ever did want one for real, I would be happy to provide one,” Vova said, amusement in his voice. 

“You’re the best,” Jenny said.

“Hey Jenny, do you want to prank some local Muggles by jumping out at them in the dark?” Jeremy asked.

“Sounds like loads of fun. We’ll be back,” Jenny said, scarfing down her meal and rushing to follow Jeremy.

They walked casually down the hill. Jenny held her flashlight out, as it was quite dark. She wished she could do magic during the summer. Jeremy walked ahead; he could see easily at night. They made it to the base of the hill. 

“I’m surprised at how warm it is at night,” Jenny commented.

“Ah, well, it is summer. Here’s a good spot.” He pointed to a large shrub.

Jenny crouched next to him and turned off her flashlight. The warm glow from the street light illuminated the path. Not many Muggles strolled around at this hour. Jenny could just barely make out Jeremy’s features in the dark. He grinned sharply at her.

Two Muggles, a romantic couple, strolled along the path, holding hands. They kissed a little bit, and the girl snuggled up to her sweetheart. Jenny nudged Jeremy. She jumped out of the bushes as though she was being chased, and screamed at the top of her lungs. Jeremy jumped on top of her pretend snarling, and pretended to bit her neck. Jenny rolled her eyes back into her head, and felt Jeremy dragging her off, and the Muggles frightened screams. 

“I hope they don’t call the police,” Jeremy said, “Because we’d have to hightail it out of there.

Jenny peeked. “No, the girl just swooned. Her boyfriend’s going to be too concerned about her to wonder about a pretend vampire.”

Jeremy huffed. “I’m not a pretend vampire!”

“To them, you are. If your so upset, go knit something,” Jenny said.

“My knitting creations are works of art!”

“More like works of rubbish. Don’t worry, I love them anyways. Don’t fret, Jeremy, I’ll never throw your creations away.” Jenny patted his arm condescendingly.

“I think we’ve got our fun out. We probably should’ve started smaller,” Jeremy said sadly.

“That’s likely. Besides, nothing’s more fun than nagging Riley and Edward,” Jenny said.

“Do you think he’ll ever admit he’s in love with her?” Jeremy said thoughtfully.

“Maybe when he’s eighty,” Jenny scoffed.

“Do you think she’ll figure out that Snape’s not the one for her?” 

“When she’s in her grave. I honestly have no idea what she sees in him. He’s an utter git, he’s an atrocious teacher, and he sneers constantly. If he was even remotely attractive, I might understand it, but he’s not even that!” Jenny complained.

“Ah, young love. We will never understand it,” Jeremy said loftily.

“I understand plenty of it. I’ve read over a dozen romance novels this summer,” Jenny said.

“From my Uncle’s collection? Who is your favorite author? I rather like Julie Garwood. She’s got that classical style.” Jeremy shoved his hands in his jean pockets.

Jenny tapped her chin. “I like Judith McNaught. I think Vova is partial to Mary Jo Putney, to be honest. She’s actually pretty good.”

“He orders them in bulk from London. Riley’s mortified about it,” Jeremy said slyly.

“A man’s got to get his romantic jollies in somehow! He doesn’t want to remarry, so he’s fulfilling that outlet elsewhere. If he hadn’t been reading romance novels, he could have fallen for Amora for all we know!” Jenny pointed out.

Jeremy paled. “Oh, that would have been awful. She would have been so smug about it too. The flirting and little fake gasps… I think I might hurl.”

“You got really unlucky, didn’t you? I can’t imagine Amora is much better than your parents,” Jenny said sympathetically.

“No, she’s a definite improvement. When my parents were together, they screamed at each other constantly and threw things. I don’t enjoy fighting all that much, to be honest. They both resented me, and they dropped me off with Amora as soon as I could walk, basically. My only memories of them are how angry they were. I haven’t heard from them since. They just send money in the mail with specific instructions that they don’t want to be contacted. Amora mostly left me to my own devices, and she’s been alright since she got back together with Royal. When I was really young, she and Royal were like they were now, and I got the benefit of that. I’m sure being ignored is better than what you’ve been through,” Jeremy said.

Jenny waved him off. “Incomparable. Apples and Oranges. My family was basically the opposite. I had almost no freedom, and my every move was watched. But I did have people in my life I cared about a lot and who cared for me. Now I have a guardian who cares about my well being, lets me run wild, and buys me whatever I want. I’m pretty happy.”

“I think he’s happier too. He seems to smile more since you’ve come to us. I think he likes having you around. Riley seems less closed off, too. Having another witch around makes her feel less like the odd one out. I think you’re the missing piece in our little family unit. One little bratty werewolf.” Jeremy smiled gently at her.

Jenny shifted awkwardly. “You’re just jealous that I beat you in our last race during the full moon.”

“You did not beat me! That was clearly a tie! That is an unfair assessment. Besides, wasn’t it you who nearly passed out once the race ended?” Jeremy protested.

Jenny bumped him. “I got you!”

“Wait until I tell Riley about this.”

“Tell me about what?” Riley said from the doorway.

“That she’s maligning me! She said she beat me in the last race, which is completely untrue!” Jeremy said.

Riley shook her head. “Sorry, Jeremy. She beat you on the last one by a hair. You got cocky and ran into a branch, remember?”

“Riley’s right,” Edward said from behind her.

“You always say Riley’s right,” Jeremy said sullenly.

“That’s not true. He tells me I’m wrong all the time to my face,” Riley said.

Jenny shoved past the both of them. “As fascinating as this non-argument is, may I remind everyone that we have precious amounts of darkness left before Jeremy and Edward basically pass out? We should get a move on.”

The four of them gathered in the living room of the villa. Jenny pulled out Exploding Snap. Before Jenny came to live with them, Riley mostly played vampire games with Jeremy and Edward. Since Jenny couldn’t participate in many of those, she introduced some wizarding games. Edward and Jeremy both loved Exploding Snap. 

“Who’s going first?” Jenny asked.

“Me!” Jeremy said excitedly.

“Jeremy likes this game the best,” Jenny said.

“Yeah, that’s because it’s the only card game you can’t completely crush us at,” Jeremy complained.

“You three complain so much. I thought vampires were supposed to be tough,” Jenny said.

“You’re on!” Jeremy said; the card deck immediately exploded in his face.

Jenny nearly fell over laughing, and it took them another fifteen minutes to actually get the game started again. A sense of relaxed calm, common in the last two months, settled over her, and Jenny relaxed into her chair. She rarely felt the prick of anxiety at the back of her neck that she had carried with her for the last nine years. Her new environment made her feel safe and calm. 

The next day, in the daylight hours after Riley and Jenny woke up, they wandered around town, checking out the shops and sampling the deserts. Jenny bought an enormous straw hat that made it look like she had an umbrella attached to her head. Riley bought a beautiful black hat with a lace veil that made her look even more like a vampire. 

“I wonder if a veil would have protected you from the basilisk,” Jenny said thoughtfully as they strode down the street. 

“I have no idea.”

“Glasses wouldn’t protect you, because Myrtle was killed by the basilisk while wearing glasses. But looking through a ghost or reflection did. Even the camera lenses protected Creevey. A veil would create a distortion. I wonder how thick the veil would be to work on a basilisk,” Jenny mused.

“Why does it matter? Didn’t Harry kill the basilisk?” Riley said.

“Yes, but what if we come across another one?” Jenny suggested.

“My Care of Magical Creatures textbook says that basilisk are extremely rare. You’re unlikely to find one in the wild. That one was ancient. There might not be any more basilisks around,” Riley said.

“Have you done your Care of Magical Creatures homework yet?” Jenny asked.

“I’m supposed to observe several Magical Creatures in the wild and record my observations. I supposed vampires and werewolves wouldn’t count,” Riley said sadly.

“No. Also, I’m not a specimen and I don’t want your professor wondering how you got close enough to a werewolf to observe one,” Jenny snapped.

Riley raised her hands. “Sorry, I was just joking. I should try the woods. There are always lots of magical creatures in the woods.”

“I can keep a lookout during the next full moon. My nose is usually pretty good at sniffing out magical creatures,” Jenny offered.

“Thanks, Jenny. How much of your homework do you have left?” Riley asked.

“Not sure. I finished my Potions essay ages ago. Transfiguration was harder because I’m not naturally good at it and I want McGonagall to be proud of my essay. History of Magic took a bit of work because Binns is useless. I think I still have Muggle Studies and Charms. We didn’t have Defense homework, obviously. I wonder who’ll teach this year?” Jenny said.

“Oh, I do hope that they’ll be better than the last two,” Riley fretted.

“Can’t be that hard, can it? One had Plodding Goats in the back of his head, and the other was a ponce who wiped people’s memories. Not much of bar, there,” Jenny said skeptically.

“That doesn’t exactly look promising, does it?” Riley said.

“No, I guess not. We could always get lucky this year and actually get someone competent,” Jenny said. 

“Want to go grab some gelato?” Riley asked.

“Oh hell yes,” Jenny agreed, and followed her.

They ate so much gelato that Jenny thought she might explode. They sat in nice chairs and enjoyed the sunset. Riley wore one of her black summer dresses. This one billowed a bit, and looked more mature than the pictures of Riley she had seen in the house. Then again, Riley had grown up since then. She smiled radiantly. 

Jenny fiddled with the edge of her tan shorts. She liked the new clothes she had chosen, but she faded even more into the background than she did with the hideous tweed. Granted, the lighter colors balanced better with her medium brown hair. Riley, with her bright auburn hair and dark as night clothing, stood out. Then again, Jenny knew that even if Riley covered her hair and wore Jenny’s clothing, she would get noticed. Nothing Riley did would hide her true beauty.

Jenny didn’t mind too much. Looking plain meant she could blend into the background. She could spy much better than way anyways. And there was no way she wanted Riley’s entourage of admirers. 

Riley brushed her hair out of her eyes. “Father will be wondering where we are. We should head back.”

“Agreed.” Jenny tucked her hands into her pockets and followed Riley back to the villa.

Jeremy and Edward waited for them in the courtyard. Jenny waved as she approached. She took the seat next to Jeremy and propped her feet up. Riley perch herself next to Edward.

“Did you boys have a nice nap?” Jenny asked.

Jeremy squinted. “Too much sun. I like France better in the winter.”

“Ah, did your little baby eyes get hurt?” Jenny teased.

“Yes,” he grumbled.

“You should’ve worn sunglasses,” Jenny said.

“I think maybe I should just go back to bed,” Jeremy complained.

“Breakfast will be served soon, right?” Riley asked.

“Yes, of course. We’re getting a delicious full course meal with a variety of delicious French pastries.”

Jenny’s eyes lit up. “I call first dibs!” 

“No you don’t!” Jeremy chased Jenny through the doors and into the kitchen. 

The staff had just put out a plate, and watched impassively as Jenny and Jeremy pushed each other over the pastries. Jenny poked Jeremy in the eye and snatched a chocolate croissant.

“Mmmmm, delicious,” she said happily.

Jeremy grabbed another one. “You’re so mean.”

“That’s why I always win,” Jenny crowed.

Vova came down the stairs. “Ah, Jenny. Did you and Riley go shopping around town this evening?” 

“Yes. We got some gelato, and we went into a bunch of adorable little shops. The sunset was gorgeous.”

“I am glad you had such a wonderful time. We only have one more day in France, after all,” he said.

“Are we going back home?” Riley asked.

“Yes, and then we will go to London. I would like to visit Amora and Royal, and I’m sure it would be nice to have a few days to visit Diagon Alley, instead of having to do all of your shopping at once,” Vova said.

“Will we be staying in London until Riley and I go to Hogwarts, Vova?” Jenny asked.

“It seems much more convenient that way, yes? Besides, I was thinking on taking the boys on a tour of northern Scandinavia. Doesn’t that sound fun?” he clapped his hands.

“I love where it’s cold and windy,” Jeremy mumbled.

Edward elbowed him. “I am looking forward to our trip.”

“I’ll have to make sure to trade out the summer clothes,” Jenny said, “England is freezing, and Scotland is even worse. That’s part of the reason I wore so much tweed. Bloody awful. Romania is warmer, somehow.”

“I’m excited to be able to visit Diagon Alley for longer,” Riley said happily.

“It’ll be a good time to stock up on Wolfsbane supplies. Did you know that there are two full moons in August this year? The second one is the day before term starts.” Jenny sighed.

Riley flinched. “Sorry, Jenny. I’ll make sure to tell Scarlet not to bother you so you can sleep.”

“Eh, since I started taking Wolfsbane it’s not too bad. I just eat an enormous amount of food,” Jenny said.

“You eat enormous amount of food anyways,” Riley pointed out.

“Ah, but remember that meal I ate in the middle of the day when everyone else was sleeping?”

Riley grimaced. “You looked like a boa constrictor who had unhinged their mouth.” 

“I have to consume all of those calories so I can live. Wonderful thing, calories. They should really teach Muggle science to wizards. I think we’re way more behind than they think.”

“Wizards don’t have the internet, or washing machines, or telephones. The Floo Network is vastly limited. There’s no quick way to contact someone living in another country. It’s a travesty,” Riley complained.

“You should tell the Ministry that. I’m pretty sure the Minister would keel over in front of you.”

“Muggles have flying machines faster than any wizard that can transport you across the world.”

“Also they have weapons that can kill you faster than a Killing Curse. You think Plodding Goats could’ve pulled out his wand before I shot him in the face?” Jenny said gleefully.

“You were two years old. You couldn’t even shoot a gun yet,” Riley said rudely.

“You are always so cruel to me, Riley. How will I ever survive?” Jenny said, draping herself over her chair and onto Riley.

Riley shoved her off. “You’re in my personal space.”

“Jeremy, do you want to see who can stand in a hand stand the longest?” Jenny said, changing the subject.

“Sure,” Jeremy said, following her into the hallway.

The following day, Abednego loaded all of their things into their car and they drove to the train station. Jenny watched wistfully out the window at the French landscape. She had enjoyed their time in France. Jenny looked down at Sable, sleeping comfortably in her cage. She couldn’t wait to return to Hogwarts.

Jenny spent most of her time in the week before their trip to London making sure she had packed all of the things she needed. She had so many more possessions than before. Jenny made sure she had the Potion ingredients she needed, as the full moon was just days away. She dragged her trunk down the stairs, and put it in the foyer. Riley walked in, her face buried in a copy of the Daily Prophet, which had a picture of a screaming criminal on the front.

“A man named Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban,” Riley said, “and is still at large. I wonder how he go out?”

“Good question. Azkaban’s supposed to be impenetrable, isn’t it?” Jenny said.

“No impenetrable enough, apparently. He must have figured out how to overcome the Dementors somehow,” Riley said.

“Makes sense. From what I’ve read, the physical security isn’t very high. They mostly just rely on the Dementors, who are extremely effective. I mean, how can you escape when you’re trapped in your own worst memories?” Jenny said.

“What are you two talking about? Sounds grim,” Jeremy said as he pulled his own trunk into the room.

“Dementors. They suck out happiness like a vampire sucks out blood. They can also give you a Dementor’s Kiss, which sucks out your soul and basically kills you,” Jenny said. 

“Hey, vampires don’t kill people! Even when we were drinking blood from actual humans, we didn’t do that! Just a little sip, really. You’d barely notice it, and it looked a bit like a hickey,” Jeremy complained.

“You’re so defensive. Have you been sucking on some poor innocent girl when we weren’t looking?” Jenny asked slyly.

“That’s just offensive.” Jeremy huffed.

“Are you two fighting again?” Edward asked.

“No,” Jeremy and Jenny said in unison. 

They were on the train to London just a few hours later. Jenny held Jeremy’s yarn while he knitted what looked like some sort of shawl. Riley worked on the homework she hadn’t finished yet: her Charms essay. Edward seemed buried in a maths book. Jenny couldn’t tell what it was for. It looked very complicated.

“So what do your tutors teach you?” Jenny asked.

“Mostly the same subjects that humans take. Maths, Literature, History, Geography, Sciences, the Arts. I play the violin. Jeremy plays the tuba, though very terribly. He likes the arts though, especially when our tutors count his knitting as homework. We also learn about vampire history and politics. Most vampires own land or work for vampire landowners, but there are some who are independent. They usually work nighttime jobs in the human world, and live alone. Or they work as traveling tutors. Tutoring is actually a very lucrative job in the vampire world, as there are a lot of rich vampires who travel. Everyone gets paid really well, too. It’s immoral to underpay your workers in vampire culture. We usually don’t interact too closely with humans. There are only about a couple million vampires across the entire planet, and not many in the sunnier parts of the world,” Edward explained.

“Fascinating. Do you interact with witches and wizards often?” Jenny asked.

“Not really. They are not very friendly. Vampires are seen as predatory beasts for the most part, and wizards study us like animals. Often times, when they visit us, we’ll play along, but their books are mostly inaccurate. It’s a bit embarrassing, to be honest. Sanguini is well known for cozying up to wizards to get invited into the wizarding world. I’d rather the wizards didn’t talk to us at all,” Edward said.

“I’d love to roam around a bunch of Hogwarts students. Do you think they’d scream and run away from me?” Jeremy said excitedly.

“No more than they would run away from me if they found out I was a werewolf,” Jenny countered.

Sergius met them with a car when they arrived in London. Jenny gaped when she saw the estate where Royal and Amora lived. Though it had nothing on a castle, compared to other buildings in London, it was enormous. Jenny took in the ostentatious interior, which Amora had likely decorated. It dripped with extravagance and wealth. Vova’s castle seemed almost austere in comparison. Edward grimaced at the inside.

“My mother is very… extravagant,” Edward said apologetically.

“There’s definitely an aesthetic going on here,” Jenny commented.

“It’s actually not all that large.”

“Jenny, you’re staying in the room next to mine. We should go up there now so you can get everything set up,” Riley said.

Jenny followed Riley up the beautiful staircase, grinning at the fancy carpeting and delicate carvings in the wood. Riley took her to a hallway lined with beautiful white doors and golden knobs. They looked identical. Riley opened one and nudged Jenny inside.

“This one is for you,” she said.

Jenny frowned. “I’m going to get completely lost in this house, just so you know.”

“It’ll be fine! I’ll see you for lunch!” Riley said.

“Don’t we need to be on a day schedule so we can visit Diagon Alley?” Jenny asked.

“That won’t start until tomorrow! We’ll stay on a nocturnal schedule for today!” Riley called as she walked away.

“Fun. Oh look, this bedspread is pink. Wonderful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the next chapter, titled: In Which Riley Goes to Diagon Alley"


	2. In Which Riley Goes to Diagon Alley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley and Jenny do some shopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

“Do you know what we’re getting in Diagon Alley today?” Jenny asked as they strode down the street. 

“We only have one new book, another _Standard Book of Spells_. I have the _Monster Book of Monsters_ on my list. I wonder if we have a new professor. Kettleburn did seem like he might retire soon. I wonder who our new Defense professor is. I don’t see a textbook on here,” Riley said, peering at the list.

Jeremy came with them; he had borrowed Riley’s father’s cloak and the hood obscured his entire face. Despite this, he was extremely uncomfortable and cranky. He trailed slightly behind them, but kept out of the way of any witches or wizards passing by. 

“Why is it so bright?” he complained.

“Jeremy, why did you come with us? It’s going to be like this all day. It’s not even bright, it’s overcast,” Jenny said unsympathetically.

“I wanted to see all of the witches and wizards bustling about. They’re so cute,” Jeremy said happily.

“Then don’t whine. We need to go to Gringotts. I’m glad that my mother opened her own vault when she married my father. Converting all of that money really helps make visits loads easier,” Riley said, steering them towards the bank.

When they entered, Riley walked up to one of the open desks. “Riley Dracula, here to withdraw from the Rosier-Dracula vault. I’d also like to add a Jennifer Jones as a holder,” Riley said.

The goblin gazed at her condescendingly. “Wand and paperwork, please. I’ll need the signature of the primary vault owner, all related forms, and Ms. Jones’s wand.”

Riley pulled the papers out of her bag. “It’s all here.”

Jenny passed over her wand. “Thank you, sir.”

“Hmmm… everything is in order. Ms. Jones is added to the Rosier-Dracula vault. You will need to show your wand each time you wish to withdraw from or deposit into the vault, Ms. Jones.” The goblin stamped the paperwork and returned their wands before whistling for another goblin.

The second goblin lead them to a mining cart. He eyed Jeremy suspiciously, but made no comment. Jenny, Riley, and Jeremy climbed into the cart. Riley, used to the rough ride, managed to keep still and only gritted her teeth. Jenny whooped with joy, clearly enjoying it. Jeremy looked a tad green. The cart came to a stop a few minutes later. Riley stepped out of the cart and collected some galleons, sickles, and knuts into a velvet pouch. She stepped back out and the goblin returned them back to the lobby. Jenny thanked the goblin.

“That was fantastic! Do you think you could take me through sometime even if I wasn’t retrieving something? I really want to know what it’s like to go all the way down to the bottom,” Jenny said excitedly.

“No. Good day,” the goblin moved away as though Jenny had a disease.

“How disappointing. I’ve never actually been in Gringotts before. Only adults were allowed to enter, and the rest of us had to stay outside. Where to next?” Jenny asked.

“Flourish and Blotts. Let’s get our books first,” Riley said.

Riley did not know what she had expected from the _Monster Book of Monsters_ , but it wasn’t this. Books in a large birdcage fought each other viciously, trying to rip out each others pages. The bookseller looked extremely haggard.

“Are you here for that book?” he said wearily.

“I am. They’re just tagging along,” Riley said weakly.

“Fantastic. Let me get my stick,” he said somberly.

“Wait! Can I try to get one out?” Jenny said, “that looks like fun.”

“Go ahead, give it a whirl. Don’t blame me if you get your hand bitten off.” The bookseller shrugged.

Jenny rolled up her sleeves. “This is going to be fun.”

Riley watched in fascination as Jenny opened the cage, stuck her had in, and managed to snatch a book in one go. She yanked her hand out of the cage and slammed it shut in the space of one second. Jenny held the book away from her face and made pretend snapping snarls at it The book snapped back, and Jenny giggle. She used her wand to conjure up some rope to bind the book and handed it to Riley.

Riley flinched when the book snarled. “Wonderful.”

“I knew I still had it, “ Jenny said with satisfaction.

“How did you do that?” the bookseller said with amazement.

“Quick reflexes,” Jenny replied.

“Can I hire you to handle these?” he asked hopefully.

“Sorry. I mostly got lucky this time. Besides, I still have to shop. I’ll by a book from you though.” Jenny held up _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_. 

Riley nervously stowed the vicious book in her bag as they left Flourish and Blotts. “I hope it doesn’t destroy my things. This definitely isn’t Kettleburn. He knows most students aren’t smart enough to handle a book this dangerous.”

“If that isn’t an accurate statement,” Jenny said, “about most Hogwarts students.”

They turned the corner and saw Harry Potter sitting alone at Flourish and Blotts. Before Riley could awkwardly avoid him, Jenny ran up to meet him. Harry seemed pleasantly surprised to see students he knew. 

“Hello, Harry, what are you doing here?” Jenny asked as she sat down in the chair across from him.

Harry shifted awkwardly. “I blew up my aunt. My uncle kicked my out, and the Minister put me up at the Leaky Cauldron. I’m staying here until term starts.

“You blew up your aunt? Bloody brilliant! My grandfather and I reached an agreement last summer where I would be exiled from the family and in return he wouldn’t try to ruin my life anymore. So, we’ve both been burning bridges. Do you enjoy staying here?” Jenny replied.

“It’s not bad. Better than staying at my aunt and uncle’s. Everyone knows me, though, so it’s a bit awkward,” Harry said.

“Oh, I almost forgot. This here awkward bloke in the big cloak is Jeremy, Riley’s cousin. He’s a vampire, but he’s very friendly. He just doesn’t like the sunlight and is usually passed out cold about this time of day,” Jenny said, waving to Jeremy.

“Hullo,” Harry said politely.

“Nice to meet you,” Jeremy grumbled.

“He’s also very rude. We have to go and get some more supplies, and then we’ll probably head home, but we’ll definitely be back later this month. See you around, Harry.” Jenny gave Harry a pat on the arm and strode off towards the quill shop.

“We should get all of the basics now. It might be best to get our robes done as well, since we’ll get in before the big rush of pre-term shopping. I want to get the ingredients for Wolfsbane fresh, so I want to come back on the twenty fourth,” Jenny said as they walked down the street.

“Do we need anything else? Do you need a new book bag?” Riley asked.

Jenny frowned. “Probably. I think this one belonged to Comfort when she used to go.”

They stopped at the supply shop and bought loads of parchment, quills, and ink. Jenny purchased a beautiful new canvas book bag, which she kept stopping to admire. Riley resisted the urge to make fun of her. 

Jenny dropped her old bag in the nearest waste bin. “Sorry, Comfort, but good riddance. That bag was one book away from bursting apart.”

“Can we go back to the ice cream place?” Jeremy whined.

“Don’t you want to go home so you can sleep? You must be exhausted,” Riley said.

“We’re not going back for ice cream. You should have asked while we were there. Now we’re going home, and you’re going to sleep. You also aren’t coming with us when we go shopping next time,” Jenny said.

“But…” Jeremy complained.

“You got to meet Harry Potter. That was your reward. I don’t want you irritating everyone because you didn’t sleep enough,” Jenny said firmly.

“Well, this was fun,” Riley said bracingly. 

The next week or so went by in a flash. Riley struggled to complete her homework as term rapidly approached. Jenny wandered around the house in fits of boredom because she had nothing to do and the vampires slept during the day. Riley watched her play Exploding Snap by herself, which was both depressing and hilarious. Jenny finally got so bored that she helped Riley with her homework.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you weren’t school inclined,” Jenny said as she looked over Riley’s Transfiguration essay.

“In all fairness, this is my worst class,” Riley admitted.

“And thank Merlin for that. I’d be wondering how you passed your exams if all of your essays turned out like this.” Jenny began marking up her essay.

“Thank you for helping me. You’ll make sure my Potions essay is good too, won’t you? I don’t want to disappoint Professor Snape,” Riley said anxiously.

“Of course. We wouldn’t want to disappoint _Snape_.”

They returned to Diagon Alley eight days before the full moon. Jenny marched up to the apothecary to buy her ingredients by herself, fully legally, for the first time. Before this, either Riley ordered her ingredients or Jenny bought them on the Black Market.

The apothecary seller eyed her ingredients suspiciously, especially after Jenny filled out an order for the perishable ingredients to be delivered monthly. “Interesting selection you have there, girl.”

Jenny stared at him stonily. “What’s it to you? I can take my business elsewhere, you know. Knockturn Alley won’t ask me questions about my purchases.”

The apothecary rang up the total. “Wasn’t a question. Have a good day. Your monthly order will of course, arrive on time.”

Jenny smiled viciously and snatched the bag before stomping out of the shop. “Meddling little-”

“Jenny?” Riley said, confused when Jenny stopped abruptly.

She turned to see Jenny’s mother and Kelsey walking along the street. Jenny seemed frozen. Riley pulled her to the side, behind one of the buildings. Kelsey and her mother kept walking past, completely oblivious. 

“We should go to Flourish and Blotts next, Kelsey. You have at least one book we need to buy. It was smart to come this early in the month. No doubt it will be complete mayhem on the 31st,” Jenny’s mother said as she walked past.

“Of course, Mother,” Kelsey replied.

When they turned the corner, Riley looked at Jenny. “Are you alright?”

“I wasn’t sure if Kelsey would be coming back to Hogwarts. I wasn’t expecting that. I want to talk to her, but it will be impossible if my mother is there,” Jenny said.

“Why don’t we go to Flourish and Blotts? If she’s going to get separated anywhere, it’ll be there,” Riley suggested.

Jenny nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

Riley and Jenny stepped out and trailed Kelsey to Flourish and Blotts. They entered the shop, and Riley and Jenny waited a few minutes before following them in. Riley peered around every corner, until she spotted Kelsey by herself, perusing some books. Riley motioned for Jenny to go head and watched Jenny’s back to see if her mother was coming.

“Hey, Kelsey,” Jenny said.

Kelsey looked up from her book, her eyes widening when she saw Jenny. “Jenny, what are you doing here?” 

“I have to buy book supplies too, you know. Riley and I were just stopping in to pick up a few things before term started. How are you?” Jenny stepped closer and lowered her voice.

“I’m alright. Grandfather decided it was a good idea to send me back to school so I could report to him on what you’d been up to since you were exiled,” Kelsey told her.

“Well, you can tell him that I’m living it up, cavorting with strangers, and spending loads of money on frivolous items. I’ve definitely let a vampire drink my blood, and I had a drinking contest with an elderly wizard.” Jenny smirked.

“Only half of that is true,” Riley said from behind her.

“Why must you always ruin my fun?” Jenny complained.

“Finish your conversation, Jenny,” Riley reminded her.

“Er, yes. How is everyone? Zeke, Comfort. Emmett?” Jenny turned serious.

Kelsey frowned. “He didn’t say I wasn’t allowed to tell you about our well being, just that I wasn’t allowed to tell you about any events that have happened sine you left.”

“So?”

“Ezekiel and Comfort seems to be alright, although I think Ezekiel is a bit tired. I can see it in his eyes. Comfort is disappearing more frequently; I only really see her at formal gatherings and hunts. I think she’s spending her time either writing letters or with Emmett. Emmett is doing alright. I think the training you did during last Easter really helped. It’s nice to see him more energetic, especially since you’re gone. He also doesn’t cause trouble like you did. You’ll be happy to know that you are still lurking over the family like a ghost. Grandfather Conrí was extremely unhappy with how last June turned out,” Kelsey relayed quietly.

“Interesting. Well, if Grandfather hadn’t threatened me and tried to pull me out of school, I probably would still be living with you. It’s good to see you, Kelsey. I’m glad to hear about everyone. I better leave before Mother sees me. I’ll see you at Hogwarts, okay? Have a wonderful day.” Jenny turned away and walked down the aisle; Riley followed her out of the shop.

“She just makes me so angry! She’s so stubborn headed. Why can’t she see that our entire family is horrible? Why wasn’t my exile enough? I just want to grab her and shake her. I hope that she doesn’t drag her boyfriend into this. Liam seems like a nice bloke, and I’d hate to see him turned into a werewolf. I feel like I’m getting sucked in. It’s a week until the full moon and it’s making me crazy. Two full moons in a month is a lot. I’m going to be passed out on the trip to Hogwarts,” Jenny rambled.

“This is zero percent productive. Why don’t we go home, and you can let it all out there,” Riley suggested gently.

“Good idea. You’re right. Let’s leave before I break something.” Jenny nodded.

Riley dragged her away. She saw Harry walking down the street, and waved. He waved back, and looked concerned when he saw Jenny, clearly agitated, muttering to herself. Riley just grinned awkwardly and gave him a thumbs off. He nodded and walked away. Nice bloke, and he knew when to mind his own business.

By the time they returned to the house, Jenny had settled down and looked almost normal, except for the strain at the corners of her eyes. She ended up going to bed early, and missed the dinner that they usually shared with the nocturnal portion of the household.

“Where’s Jenny?” Riley’s father asked as he ate some eggs.

“We ran into her family in Diagon Alley. She’s pretty upset about it, so she went to bed early. It’s getting close to the full moon, so I think she wants to be in top physical form as well. It’s going to be weird. I think this will be the first time she’s ever transformed inside of a building. She usually transforms in the woods, you know?” Riley explained.

“Which members of her family?” Jeremy asked, too casually.

“Her mother and her sister Kelsey,” Riley replied.

Jeremy clenched his fork. “No wonder she was so upset. I would be too.”

“She talked to Kelsey for a bit, which went about as expected. Kelsey told her that everyone was alright, but wouldn’t say more. She also blamed Jenny for everything,” Riley added.

“I’d like to meet her sister in a dark alley,” Jeremy said coldly.

“And what would that help?” Riley snapped, “Jenny would still be upset. The best we can do is support Jenny and let her know we care about her. Especially with the second full moon of the month the day before term starts.”

“Oooh, rough. I forgot that was coming up,” Edward said.

“I’ll sit with her, Riley. You need to sleep, and we’re nocturnal anyways,” Jeremy said, calmer now.

“Alright. Just try to get her to actually sleep. She tends to be rather active at night, and then crash during the day. Father, we’ll need to have a big breakfast ready at dawn. Jenny will be hungry and tired, and we’ll need to make up for as much of that energy with food as possible,” Riley said.

“Of course, dear. I wish there was more we could do to help her. Jenny has to do all of this alone. No one else can brew the potion for her. All I can do is provide her with funds,” her father said sadly.

“I wonder if they’ll find a cure for werewolves. It’s not like she became one by choice, and unlike vampires, there aren’t really any upsides, except for being terrifying as hell once a month,” Jeremy said.

“There hasn’t been much research on it. From what I’ve read, in the history books and in the wizarding newspaper that Riley subscribes to, the Ministry is either indifferent or hostile to werewolves. They would rather pretend they didn’t exist, which is rather disappointing, in my opinion. Especially since most werewolves are wizards,” Edward said thoughtfully.

“The wizarding world can barely stand Muggleborns half of the time, why do you think they’d be okay with werewolves, Edward? They’re so backwards that they think Muggle technology is primitive. Perhaps it’s because we had no choice but to integrate, but vampires are far more adapted to the modern world, because we don’t think we’re better than humans,” Riley said hotly.

“Calm down, Riley. I actually think he was agreeing with you. Either way, wizards openly dislike or condescend to non-wizard beings, whether they be goblin, elf, werewolf, vampire, or Muggle. If they don’t sort themselves out, they’re going to be left behind,” Jeremy interjected.

A few days later, Riley wandered around the house, bored. Jenny was currently brewing her Wolfsbane Potion, which took more than an hour to finish. Riley caved in to the temptation to sneak into Royal’s office. She always wanted to know what he was working on. She tried the doorknob, and the door swung open easily.

Riley tiptoed into office and peeked around. Books of all shapes, sizes, and ages filled the shelves. Unlike her father’s desk, Royal kept his desk meticulously organized. To the right of the desk was a decadent fainting couch. No doubt Amora sat here when Royal worked on his projects. Riley rounded the desk and opened a few drawers. The first drawer had nothing but extra fountain pens, which Riley wished Hogwarts allowed them to use instead of quills. The second had extremely boring ledgers full of accounting terms that Riley did not understand. 

Riley found a letter from her mother in the third drawer. She pulled it out, and carefully unfolded it. Her eyes widened as she began to read.

_15 March 1981_

_Dear Royal,_

_Have you seen or heard from Clara? Since she traveled to London, I have not received a single letter from her. I worry. I know she is just experiencing the wonders of the world before she returns home, but I miss her. I don’t want her to decide if she likes London better than her family. Vladimir is worried as well, though he pretends he is not. He spends most of his time buried in his experiments. I thought sending her to --- would mean she could experience the wizarding world rather safely, and be cured of her curiosity. Unfortunately, it seems she is determined to see everything before she comes back to me. Should I have sent her to Beauxbatons instead? I thought it would be too dangerous, but perhaps that would have been better than this. I can’t wait to see you all again. How is darling Edward? You must be so proud of him. Please let me know if you hear from her._

_Your dear friend,  
Lola_

Riley frowned. Who was Clara? She had never heard this name before. There were no pictures of anyone but Riley and her mother in her father’s castle, and none of her family or friends had ever mentioned her before. Did something very bad happen to her? The date made no sense either; her mother had died shortly after she was born. This was dated when she was two years old. Where had she sent Clara to? The writing was smudged there. Perhaps she meant Hogwarts. She hadn’t known her mother went to Beauxbatons. Her father told her very little anyways, except about where they meant and what she was like. Riley had assumed it was because he didn’t know much. Had he been hiding things from her the entire time?

Riley could hear Jenny coming down the stairs. She carefully folded the note back up and tucked it away in the drawer before closing it. She slipped out of the office and shut the door behind her. She sat by the window and managed to look nonchalant by the time Jenny found her.

“You’re acting odd,” Jenny said the second she saw her.

Riley tried not to wince. “I don’t know what you’re on about. I am perfectly fine,” she said.

“Now that’s a lie. Look, clearly you were doing something you don’t want anyone to know about. I used to do that all the time, and I still do it on occasion. I don’t really care what it was, and I won’t ask. Just stop pretending to be normal. It’s extremely off putting,” Jenny said bluntly.

Riley relaxed. “Oh, good. I felt very weird sitting there.”

“Do you want to play Exploding Snap?” Jenny suggested. 

“That sounds wonderful.” 

On the day of the full moon, Riley could not keep still. She had repacked her trunk three times, and nagged Jenny about packing hers, to which Jenny told her to go to hell. Riley paced the house. With no one but Jenny to talk to, the wait became unbearable. 

Jenny closed the door of her room in Riley’s face at sunset. “Good night, Riley. Please leave me alone in peace while I turn into a beast of nightmares.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Riley said anxiously.

“Yes. Now please go away. Sleep, so that one of us can be functional tomorrow,” Jenny said firmly.

Despite Jenny’s insistence, Riley could not sleep that night. She laid in bed, anxiously waiting for the full moon to rise. Shortly after dusk, she heard Jeremy come up the stairs. The walls in this house were not very thick.

“Can I come in?” Jeremy asked.

“No. I’m naked, and you don’t want to watch me transform. I promise, it isn’t pleasant,” Jenny replied sharply.

“Fine. When am I allowed in?” 

“When the whimpering stops.”

An hour later, Riley heard the crack of bones and Jenny’s pained cries as her body forced her into the shape of a wolf. Eventually, the sounds stopped, and Riley heard Jenny’s door open and Jeremy enter her room.

“Hello, Jenny. I’ll sit here, and you just lay down and rest. You don’t want to be too exhausted before term starts, do you?” Jeremy said gently.

An hour later, Riley could no longer resist temptation. She climbed out of bed and went to go check on Jenny. She pushed open the door and peeked in. Jeremy sat on the floor with Jenny’s wolf head in his lap. He stroked behind one of her ears as he hummed softly. He had draped a large blanket over Jenny, so that when she turned back, she would not be cold. When he saw Riley, he put a finger to his lips and motioned for her to leave. Riley nodded, and backed out of the room. 

Riley finally went to sleep, content that Jeremy was taking care of her friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the next chapter, "In Which Jenny Experiences Her Worst Nightmare", posted next week, hopefully!


	3. In Which Jenny Experiences Her Worst Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny takes the Hogwarts Express and settles back into Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

Jenny woke up to her head in Jeremy’s lap, the sun peeking through the window, and a blanket draped over her naked body. She tilted her head up to see Jeremy fast asleep, resting against the side of the bed. Jenny shivered from the slight chill. She pulled the blanket around her body and moved to her wardrobe. She glanced at the clock: 8:00am. She had time to get ready, but not much. Jenny dressed in an oversized sweater and baggy cargo pants. 

She turned and looked at Jeremy. He sat in an extremely uncomfortable position. She sighed. Jenny walked over and hefted his torso onto her bed. She then lifted his legs up onto the covers. He did not stir despite her heavy grunts. Jenny looked him over. He slept peacefully in his ridiculous Muggle superhero pajamas. She gave him a little pat on the shoulder, before lugging her trunk and birdcage out of the room. 

She dragged her things down the stairs, wincing at the noise. She should have put her trunk in the foyer the night before. Jenny set them at the bottom of the stairs and went into the kitchen, to see if Riley was up.

Riley sat at the bar, working her way through a plate of bacon and eggs. She had styled her hair impeccably in perfect auburn waves. She wore her usual goth chic clothing. A large plate filled with enough food for several people sat steaming next to her. Jenny sat down.

“This for me?” she asked, pointing.

Riley nodded. “Of course. What did you do with Jeremy?”

“I put him on my bed. I’m sure he’ll be very confused when he wakes up. How are we getting to Kings Cross?” Jenny began inhaling her food.

“Blimey, that’s disgusting. Father rented us a driver and town car that will drive us. He’s been paid a lot of money not to ask any questions. Are you ready to leave?” Riley asked.

Jenny swallowed. “My stuff’s in the hallway. What about you?” 

Riley waved her hand. “I finished packing this morning. The car will come to pick us up at nine o’clock so we’ll be sure not to be late. You know, with London traffic.”

“Makes sense. Gives me plenty of time to digest all of this,” Jenny said cheerfully.

Riley grimaced. “I think I’m going to go somewhere else so I don’t have to see you eat that.”

“Bye, Riley.” Jenny shoved an entire pastry into her mouth.

By the time that the town car arrived, Jenny had finished the feast, eaten four more helpings of bacon, and had drank enough tea to fill a bathtub. Despite this, she still felt tired when they left the house. Jenny scribbled a little note for Jeremy to find when he woke up, and then she closed the door behind them.

The driver said nothing when they loaded their large trunks and bird cages into the car. Jenny settled in to the seat next to Riley and closed her eyes, hoping to catch a bit of sleep before they arrive. She managed to drift off, only to be jerked roughly awake by their arrival at King’s Cross Station. She stifled a groan and got out of the car.

“Oh, good, it’s five to ten. I was worried we’d be late,” Riley said anxiously.

Jenny grumbled. “If we had left at half past nine, we’d have probably been here about the same time.”

“You don’t know that! There could have been an accident!” Riley insisted.

“If you say so. Can we just go, please? If we get on the train early it means that I can go back to sleep sooner.” Jenny grabbed her trunk and birdcage and marched off to the station. Riley thanked the driver and hurried after her.

“Sorry, I’m just concerned. I didn’t want to miss the train,” Riley whispered as they walked.

“Well, since we’re an hour before departure, we definitely aren’t going to,” Jenny muttered.

They turned the corner and did not see any other witches or wizards. Jenny walked past the Muggles and marched straight through the barrier. She took a deep breath on the other side, relaxing at the tension leaving her body. Her eyes drooped a bit, and Jenny shook her head. 

They wandered around train, looking for a good compartment. At one point they passed one with a sleeping man inside. Jenny peeked in the window. Riley stopped when she realized that Jenny wasn’t following her. 

“What are you doing?” Riley asked.

“Do you reckon this might be the new Defense professor? I sympathize, really. There’s nothing more I want to do right now than sleep. Looking at that bloke makes me tired.” Jenny yawned.

“Okay, let’s go,” Riley said, and dragged Jenny away.

“I was hoping to see Fred and George, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be asleep before they even get onto Platform 9 3/4. I hope Scarlet can find us,” Jenny said and they stepped into an empty compartment. 

They stowed their trunks. Riley sat quietly and stared out the window, while Jenny curled up into a ball and closed her eyes. She could hears the excited chatter of students and the pounding of footsteps through the train. However, Jenny’s exhaustion sank over her in waves and she soon fell asleep. 

Jenny woke up to the Hogwarts Express horn blasting, signifying the train’s exit from the station. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. When she blinked into focus, she saw Riley and Scarlet chatting quietly. Jenny yawned.

“Hullo, Scarlet. Sorry for the lack of greeting. How are you?” Jenny asked.

Scarlet smiled gently. “Oh, I am doing wonderfully, Jenny, thank you. How was France?”

“Warm, pleasant. Did you meet Sable?” Jenny waved her hand at the birdcage.

Scarlet peered at Sable. “Is that a raven?”

“Why yes, she is. Doesn’t she look intimidating? I can’t wait for her to show up at breakfast one morning. You know, I never understood why wizards picked owls for correspondence over pigeons, like the ones Muggles use. You’d think that birds designed for messengering would be a better pick than birds of prey,” Jenny said fixing her hair.

“I supposed they liked the look of owls better. Besides, owls are much larger and therefore a much better choice for things like packages,” Scarlet said.

“A bald eagle would be better for that. They can carry things as heavy as seven kilos. I hate to say it, but Malfoy’s got the right of it. His bird makes the most sense if you’re talking about packages. Really, you should pick pigeons for letters, and have separate birds for packages. Maybe I should become Minister of Magic,” Jenny mused, pulling out a quill and scribbling down some thoughts.

“I think that’s a terrible idea. Besides, you were the one who said you had no ambition,” Riley said. 

“Well, I didn’t when I was eleven. Things have changed. I have achieved so much since I arrived at Hogwarts. Why wouldn’t I be able to achieve more?” Jenny said happily.

“Are you going to try on the Sorting Hat again this year?” Riley asked.

“There’s no point. I know what it’s going to say. I’m sure by the time I graduate I’ll be so well balance that I could simultaneously portray every House in one sentence,” Jenny said.

“And yet, with that boasting, you prove yourself a true Gryffindor,” Riley said.

“Thank you. I hope the trolley witch comes by soon. I’m starving,” Jenny said, her stomach growling.

“I looked at the charts last night. It was a full moon, right? Were you okay?” Scarlet asked worriedly. 

“Well, it wasn’t ideal. I’ve found that I don’t really like being a wolf indoors. It’s very restrictive. However, it’s much more pleasant to wakeup inside your warm room than outside on the cold ground,” Jenny said.

Riley smirked. “I’m sure it was, especially with your head in Jeremy’s lap.”

“What?” Scarlet said, intrigued.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “He was drooling. Not exactly dreamy. He was just being kind. I appreciate it, but my heart isn’t aflutter.”

“He stayed with her the entire night. He fell asleep and Jenny had to roll him onto her bed. It was adorable,” Riley told Scarlet.

“You two are unbelievable. I am not currently interested in romance! I’m fourteen, for bloody sakes! Ask me in a year. You two should focus on yourselves. Scarlet, you haven’t got up the nerve to ask out Cho in the three years you’ve known her. Riley, you’re pining after a man old enough to be your father. You have no business interfering with my angst free personal life. Especially since it is so recently angst free,” Jenny said firmly.

Scarlet and Riley pouted. “You’re no fun,” Riley complained.

“We just want you to be happy,” Scarlet said.

“I am ecstatically happy. I have more friends than I know what to do with, I don’t have to deal with my hideous grandfather anymore, and I have a scary raven to call my own. What more could I want?” Jenny said.

“Did I tell you we ran into Harry Potter in Diagon Alley?” Riley said to Scarlet, changing the subject.

“Yeah, he had to stay there because he got kicked out for blowing up his aunt,” Jenny added, snickering.

Scarlet blinked. “Like, exploded?”

“No, like a balloon. She floated away. I wish I could have seen that. Why didn’t I ever do that to Grandfather Conrí? I could have seen him drift off into the sky, arms, pinwheeling, as round as a peach,” Jenny said wistfully.

“Please don’t try to learn how to do that on purpose,” Riley pleaded.

“You are such a worry wort. I wouldn’t do that,” Jenny assured her.

Moments later, the trolley witch came by with her treats. Jenny bought dozens of pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs. She consumed the pumpkin pasties, and saved the chocolate frogs for later. Riley and Scarlet watched her in fascination as the treats disappeared.

“I’m always like this after a full moon. Why are you so surprised?” Jenny grumbled.

“Well, you don’t sit with us during the school year,” Scarlet said.

“And there’s usually other people eating, or everyone’s asleep when you wake up after the full moon. I don’t usually see the full effect. How are you not completely bloated?” Riley said fascinated.

“It’s a special skill,” Jenny said.

“Horrifying,” Scarlet said.

“Scarlet, are you nervous about OWLs this year?” Jenny asked.

Scarlet shook her head. “Not at all. I have prepared very carefully for this. I have even made myself a very careful studying schedule. If I can transfer to Care of Magical Creatures after a year, I can surely do very well on my OWLs.” 

“Of course you can, Scarlet. I’m more worried about Riley,” Jenny said rudely.

“Hey! I’m not going to fail! I’ve passed all of my exams so far,” Riley complained.

“Sorry, Riley, that was mean. I’m sure you’ll do fine. Besides, it’s not for another year anyways.” Jenny assured her. 

Suddenly, the train slowed, and then screech to a halt. “We’re not there yet, so why have we stopped,” Scarlet said. 

The lights went out completely. “Well, this is awkward,” Jenny said into the darkness. 

Moments later, a chill began to settle over them. Jenny felt her breath puff in the air. She shivered, and rubbed her hands. All of a sudden her mind cluttered with dark thoughts.

_It hurts, It hurst, why why!_

__

__

_Why won’t they help me!_

_Make it stop!_

_“Emmett will be Bitten, after he turns five years old.”_

_Oh, Emmett, Emmett._

_“Is there a way to make me not a wolf?”_

_“You will be reminded of your true place.”_

_“I’ll stay away forever.”_

_“Bye Jenny.”_

_Never will see Emmett, never, never, you are nothing…._

Abruptly, the bitting cold and overwhelming despair vanished. Jenny blinked open her eyes. The lights came back on, and the train started moving again. She shivered, and brushed the tears from her cheeks. It took her a moment to realize what was going on. Riley had tipped over on her side and seemed unconscious; she had turned pale as a sheet. Scarlet looked shaken but relatively fine. Her hair had turned bone white again, surely a sign of distress. After a few moments, Riley blinked, and sat upright.

“Are you alright?” Jenny grumbled.

“I think so,” Riley said awkwardly.

“I felt as though I would never be happy again, but you two,” Scarlet said, “Jenny you just started sobbing. I’ve never heard you cry like that, ever. Riley, you fell straight over like someone hit you over the head.”

Jenny groaned. “What was that?”

Scarlet frowned. “Well, there’s only one creature I can think of that could do that. It’s a dementor. They feed off of happiness. I think they’re looking for Sirius Black. Jenny, do you still have those chocolate frogs? Chocolate is supposed to help.”

Jenny rummaged around. “Well, that was unpleasant. I think I just had a film reel of all of my worst memories, which I could have done without, I must say.”

Riley took a chocolate frog. “I don’t really understand what happened. I heard a woman shouting ‘Clara’. I’ve seen the name before, but I don’t know who it is. She’s connected to my mother somehow. The more I learn about my mother, the more confused I am.

Jenny shivered and downed her own frog. “I hope we never have to experience that again. I wish they were punchable. Is there a way to kick their arses?”

Scarlet pursed her lips. “Yes, supposedly. It’s NEWT level magic, though you’ve been making a NEWT level potion since you were eleven. It’s called a Patronus Charm. You have to power it with a very strong happy memory. It has to be something substantial. It will create a shield or animal avatar to stand between you and the dementor, and the dementor will feed off of it instead of you.”

“Oooh, happy memories. I have more than before, although I don’t know if I have very strong ones. Most of my happy memories are very petty. Besides, I’m alright at Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Potions is my area. I don’t know if I could muster up the skill for it,” Jenny said sadly.

“We all know that I’m terrible at most subjects,” Riley pointed out. 

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. We’ll be at the school soon, so we should change into our robes,” Jenny said.

They toddled off the train, looking as weary and pale as most of the students. Jenny spotted Harry, who looked particularly washed out, and seemed to be leaning on his friends. She grimaced sympathetically. They climbed carefully onto the horseless carriages and then they set off. When they disembarked, Jenny saw Malfoy approach Harry.

“Oh, dear, is he starting a fight with Harry Potter?” Riley said wearily.

“Yes.. ah, I guess not. Looks like our new Defense professor stepped in. Poor bloke, he needs better clothes. His class should be interesting. Let’s go. I could use some food to replace the emptiness in my soul.” Jenny said, ushering them towards the gates.

They moved up the steps unhurriedly. Riley glanced over to see Malfoy’s gloating face and sighed heavily. Jenny noted that her face looked resigned.

“I think Harry must have fainted like I did. Otherwise Draco wouldn’t be looking so smug. Oh, I hope he doesn’t turn this into a thing. It’s going to be so embarrassing. Parkinson’s going to drag him into it,” Riley lamented.

“It’s not like you can do much about his terrible friends, can you? You just have to get through it, Riley. Be strong, and tell him off if you need to. Now, we await our doom,” Jenny said bracingly.

“Oh, that reminds me! We need to make sure to check on Zeepy after the feast,” Scarlet added.

Jenny waved good bye to her friends and moved to find Fred and George. She noticed them sitting with Lee, chatting excitedly. Their hair seemed even redder than usual, shining like a bright flame. Ron sat nearby, without Harry and Hermione. She would have to ask him about it. She moved up behind the twins and slammed her palms on their shoulders, startling them near out of their seats. Lee chuckled. 

“How are my two favorite troublemakers!” she crowed.

“We could be better, I suppose. Those bloody dementors were a nightmare,” Fred said.

“Bloody awful,” George said fervently.

Jenny sat down nearby. “Can’t disagree. I certainly didn’t enjoy the experience. Ron, where are your two friends?”

Ron shrugged. “McGonagall wanted them for something. I’m not sure what.”

“Intriguing. I saw Harry, is he alright?” Jenny said.

Ron shifted uncomfortably. “He didn’t react too well to the dementors.”

“If I had to guess by the way Malfoy’s been acting, I’d say he fainted,” Jenny said neutrally.

Ron did not meet her eyes.

“Well, I cried a waterfall of tears, so I don’t think I can really say much. Thankfully, nobody but Riley and Scarlet saw. I’d hate to have my rep ruined,” Jenny turned her attention to the hat.

“You cried?” Fred said.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” George said.

“You’ll never have evidence that I did. Let it go boys. The Sorting’s started anyways.”

Harry and Hermione sat down at the table just after the Sorting ended. Moments later, Dumbledore rose to give his speech. Jenny listened closely, her heart sinking at the announcement about the dementors. She hoped she wouldn’t run into one. She applauded Professor Lupin, knowing he must have helped Harry. Something about him tickled her instincts, but Jenny pushed it away.

Eventually they got down to the feast. Jenny ate her fill, despite having already eaten several daily portions of food throughout the day. The dementor attack had left her cold and hungry, and she filled herself with food to make up for it. She drank more than her share of pumpkin juice. Fred and George told her all about their trip to Egypt. Jenny remembered seeing something in the Daily Prophet. She grinned at their stories of cursed tombs, and settled into the feeling of being at peace.

Eventually, the meal ended, and Percy lead them back to the Gryffindor Common Room. After she heard the password, Jenny slipped away to make a visit to the kitchens. She moved quietly through the halls, slipping past the paintings and avoiding Mrs. Norris and Filch. She met up with Riley and Scarlet at the fruit portrait. Zeepy greeted them when they stepped inside.

“Zeepy is so happy to see Ms. Jenny, Ms. Riley, and Ms. Scarlet again! Zeepy has missed Ms. Jenny and her friends over the summer! The other house-elves has missed you as well! Come in! Sit, please! We are so happy to have you as guests!” Zeepy pointed to a cluster of stools.

“How has everyone been?” Jenny asked.

“Zeepy and her friends have been very happy. When Harry Potter stopped the evil snake, Hogwarts could stay open! Zeepy is very thankful to Harry Potter. Harry Potter is welcome down here any time he likes,” Zeepy said happily.

“I think most people are thankful to Harry Potter,” Jenny said.

“Did Ms. Jenny enjoy the feast?” Zeepy asked.

“Oh, it was very good. I ate a lot. I was very hungry. Have you seen the dementors?” Jenny said.

Zeepy shifted nervously. “Zeepy does not like the dementors. Dumbledore told Zeepy that the dementors will not bother the house-elves. Zeepy hopes that is true. The dementors don’t seem very nice.”

“I’m sure that Dumbledore will make sure the dementors don’t bother you,” Jenny assured her.

Jenny, Scarlet, and Riley stayed for a bit, until they knew they would be missed. Jenny ate some of the leftovers. She handed Zeepy her first note of the year, and they exited the portrait.

“I think she’s become a little more outspoken, don’t you think?” Jenny said.

Scarlet shrugged. “Possibly.”

“We should go. We don’t want to get yelled at by our prefects,” Riley said urgently.

Jenny groaned. “And I have the Head Boy in my House.”

Jenny slipped back into the Gryffindor Common Room with little incident. Fred, and George and Lee lit up when they saw her. Jenny took the seat next to Lee. She shifted comfortably, settling into the plush cushions.

“Where did you run off too, Jenny?” Fred asked. 

“Oh, no where in particular. Just went to pay some friends a visit,” Jenny said vaguely.

“Ah,” said George.

“What did you do this summer, since you went to live with Riley’s dad?” Fred asked.

“Well, I got to live in a castle, which was brilliant. We did spend most of July in France, which was absolutely lovely. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere so nice. Riley’s dad bought me a raven, that I named Sable, for my correspondence. She’s very scary looking, and I’m quite proud of her. She can talk a bit too,” Jenny said.

“What have you taught her?” Lee asked.

“To say ‘Bugger off’” Jenny replied.

“Do you think you can get her to harass Malfoy?” George said excitedly.

“Oh, I hope so. That would be loads of fun, wouldn’t it?” Jenny said, amused.

“I would love to see Malfoy being attacked by your raven,” Fred said.

“Did you know that corvids are excellent judges of character? They know and remember who is mean and they teach their friends,” Jenny said slyly.

“I’m liking this the more I hear,” George said.

“They’re also highly intelligent. They are one of the smartest birds out there,” Jenny explained. 

Jenny, Fred, George, and Lee plotted out increasingly elaborate scenarios involving Sable and Malfoy until Jenny began to drift off. The fire felt warm against her skin, and the soft voices, lolled her to sleep. The cushion invited her to lay her head down and close her eyes. She blinked, resisting the urge to fall asleep. Fred and George look concerned.

“Are you okay, Jenny?” Fred asked.

“I’m just tired. It’s been a long, busy day, hasn’t it?” Jenny said.

“Yes, it has,” said George.

Jenny waved them off and rose from her chair. She shuffled off to her room, ready to fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She opened the door to find Sable sitting comfortably in her cage and her fellow roommates chatting amiably as they got ready for bed. Jenny opened the cage to let Sable fly free and flipped open her suitcase.

She pulled out her photos: her with her siblings, her with Riley and Vova, and her with Riley, Jeremy, and Edward. She set them on her night table, along with Jeremy’s ugly Valentine’s Day bear. Jenny set aside her school robes for the next day. She pulled her hair tie out, and carefully combed out her hair, before braiding it and slipping the hair tie back on. She tapped on the photo frame with her siblings, sighing softly. She wished she could see Emmett again. Her heart ached.

Jenny changed into her new pajamas, which had wonderful pants that she loved for their practicality. She turned to see Katie and her other roommates looking at her curiously. Jenny shifted uncomfortably. 

“You look better, Jenny. You don’t look so…stressed,” Katie Bell said.

“Thanks. I’m living with my friend Riley and her father. My parents decided it would be better for me to live somewhere where I had more freedom, since I find them so stifling.” Jenny rubbed the edge of her pajama shirt.

“Those are nice pajamas,” Katie said.

“Thank you. Well, I’m beat, so I’m going to bed. I’ll see you all in the morning,” Jenny said awkwardly.

Jenny slipped under the covers and extinguished the candle next to her bed. Soon after, she felt the darkness of sleep overcome her. The waning gibbous shone bright in the sky, but Jenny drifted off with no worries at all. She felt safe and comfortable at the first home she had ever known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to finish Book 5 by this weekend. Stay tuned for the next chapter, "In Which Riley Has a Crush"


	4. In Which Riley Has a Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley discovers feelings for someone she hasn't felt before. Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures lesson doesn't go well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

Riley groaned when she walked into the Great Hall. She could see Draco ramping up to tell the table about Harry fainting on the train. She shuffled slowly over, hoping to get to the table after he finished his reenactment. Unfortunately, it appeared that would not be the case. She slid into her seat and tried not to look at Draco, who had the table’s rapt attention. Draco had fully cemented his status in Slytherin. They would follow his lead. Riley hoped it wouldn’t be completely for evil. She shuffled around awkwardly and tried to reach a pastry. Draco noticed her.

He turned to her excitedly. “Riley! I barely heard from you all summer! Did you know that Potter fainted on the train? He saw the dementor and keeled over. Started crying too! Here, let me start again. So, the train stops, and everything goes dark. Potter screams in terror, loud enough to shatter glass. Then he starts shaking, because his pitiful body isn’t used to the cold. He cries out ‘Who’s there?’ and nobody answers. His friends start crying. Potter starts crying to. The dementor comes down the hallway, looking for Black. He stops by Potter’s compartment, because dementors can sense weakness. Potter takes one look at the dementor and keels straight over!”

He demonstrates by pretending to faint dramatically. The rest of the Slytherin table burst into peels of laughter. Riley groaned and wished she didn’t know them. She looked over to see Harry and his friends and the Gryffindor table. Harry’s face crinkled with irritation, and the Weasley twins looked over at them condescendingly. Pansy Parkinson shouted something rude at them from across the hall. Riley buried her face in her hands, mortified. How could these people belong to her house? It was an embarrassment.

Draco turned to her again, his face shining with smug joy. “What do you think? Wasn’t that really funny?”

Riley felt an odd twinge, and her cheeks heated. “Er… I dunno. I mean, I wouldn’t say I reacted well to the dementors either. It seems bit unfair. I don’t know if Harry Potter would have made fun of you if you had fainted because of the dementors.”

Draco frowned. “I don’t know what you’re on about, Riley. Potter needs to be taken down a peg. He thinks he’s so great, but he can’t even stand up to a dementor. His head needs to be deflated, or he’ll start shoving us under his boot. He doesn’t deserve to rule.”

Riley sighed. “I don’t think Harry Potter is the one with the ego problem,” she muttered to herself. 

Thankfully, Draco seemed to lose interest, or maybe hunger overrode his ego. He dug into his meal, his table manners impeccable. Riley watched him, forgetting to take a bite of her own food. The sun glinted off of his hair, making it glow with angelic light. His aristocratic features shone. Even the arrogant tilt of his head emphasized how handsome he was.

Riley sat up. Handsome? What was she talking about? Draco wasn’t handsome. He was her friend! She gave herself a swift shake of the head and turned to her food. She managed to focus completely on her food for the rest of breakfast. When the meal ended, she patted Draco briefly on the shoulder, ignoring the tingle in her hand, and ran off to class. She didn’t even stop to say goodbye to Vincent and Gregory. She made it to Charms several minutes early and did not know what to do with herself until class started. She ended up staring at the table and trying not to think about Draco. 

Jenny noticed her odd behavior in their Divination class. Riley couldn’t seem to focus on the lesson, not that she could ever pay attention very well during Divination. She ignored Jenny’s insistent prodding, while Trelawney explained to them about interpreting their dreams. 

“What’s going on with you?” Jenny said, and they worked on recalling their most recent dreams.

“I don’t know. I had this weird feeling about Draco this morning. He somehow looked… attractive? I think I might be coming down with something,” Riley lamented.

Jenny smirked. “Is someone developing a little crush? That’s the only reason you could have possible found him attractive this morning, considering how much of a complete prat he was being. Reenacting Harry’s encounter with the dementors? Very tacky.”

Riley shook her head. “Absolutely not! My heart belongs to Professor Snape! There is no way I could possible be attracted to Draco.”

Jenny changed the subject. “Hmmm. So, what did you dream about recently, Riley?” 

“Oh, I don’t really remember. I think there was one where I was in a room full of a lot of doors. I tried to open them, but they remained locked,” Riley mused.

Jenny flipped through the Dream Oracle. “It says here that you are likely searching for something hidden. An unknown force blocks your path. Or it could mean that you’re in great danger. I’d write down great danger from a hidden source. Trelawney always likes the doomsday rubbish.”

Riley scribbled down Jenny’s interpretation. “What about you?”

Jenny turned another page. “I’m running through the forest, chasing something. It says I am doomed to be disappointed and I won’t get the thing I am chasing. Very disappointing, I must say.”

“Divination is bloody rubbish,” Riley complained.

“You were the one who chose to take this class. You could’ve taken Muggle Studies instead,” Jenny said unsympathetically.

“Didn’t you say that class has a lot of homework?” Riley said.

“Yes, it does. At least with Divination you can make stuff up. No such thing with Muggle Studies. At least you like Care of Magical Creatures, right?” Jenny said.

“Yes, but my first class isn’t until tomorrow. I’m worried about Hagrid. He loves magical creatures, for sure, and he knows a lot about them, but he’s likely to go too ambitious with his first class. The third years have theirs after lunch. I just hope it goes well,” Riley said nervously.

“I’m sure it will be fine. With any luck, one of them will maim Malfoy and he’ll shut up for once in his bloody life,” Jenny said rudely.

“Don’t talk like that! That would be disastrous!” Riley said furiously.

Professor Trelawney swooped in on them. “What would be disastrous, my dears?”

Jenny smiled at her. “Our dream interpretations, if they’re true. Riley faces harm from a hidden enemy, and my goals are going to be thwarted by forces outside my control. It’s all very depressing.”

Trelawney clapped her hands. “Excellent work, you two! You are both such promising students in my class.”

She moved off, muttering to herself excitedly. “I love that woman,” Jenny said.

Riley thankfully escaped Divination relatively unscathed. Trelawney made a few dire predictions, but she didn’t predict anyone’s death. They walked down to lunch together down the numerous flights of stairs.

“I wonder who’s death was predicted among the third years,” Jenny mused.

“Good question. Any ideas?” Riley said.

“Well, the obvious choice is Harry. I’m going to guess Hermione, because she’s an underdog and it would be way funnier, because she’d probably tell Trelawney what complete rubbish she’s spewing,” Jenny said, snickering.

“I’m going to guess one of those giggling Gryffindors who shriek uncontrollably. They’d be a good target because they would definitely believe it. Trelawney likes scaring people, so picking someone nervous is her best bet. Oh, I guess there’s also Neville Longbottom. He’s very nervous,” Riley added.

Riley found Draco at the Slytherin table in high spirits. He looked energized by his classes. She remembered that he said he was taking Arithmancy as well as Care of Magical Creatures. She moved to sit next to him, trying to ignore the nervous tingles throughout her body. She smiled at Vincent and Gregory.

“I can’t wait to see Potter fail at Care of Magical Creatures. I bet he’ll faint at whatever creature that brute brings to our first class. I can’t believe Dumbledore hired such an oaf. I mean, can he even read?” Draco said snidely.

Riley groaned. “I have no idea, Draco. He is our groundskeeper, though. He knows a lot about magical creatures. I’m looking forward to our first class, honestly. Why don’t you cheer up? It will be really fun, I’m sure.”

“It will definitely be fun to see Potter flail around like a sad fish.” Draco snickered.

Riley sighed. “Why don’t we just eat lunch first? Then you can make fun of Harry Potter all you want at dinner. Just please don’t do another reenactment. The other Houses don’t think it’s very funny. I was so embarrassed at breakfast when they stared at us.”

Draco shrugged. “Well, all of Slytherin found it hilarious. Slytherin is the only House that counts.”

“Draco, I have friends in other Houses. They know me, and they see who I sit with. Could you please not, just for once?” Riley pleaded.

“I’ll lay off for now, since you’re so concerned about it,” Draco said.

“Thank you, Draco.” Riley said gratefully.

“Of course, Riley. You know I value your opinion.” Draco smiled at her.

Riley blushed. “How was Arithmancy? I heard it’s a very difficult class.”

“Not so difficult. I could have done without Granger being an insufferable know-it-all for five minutes. Vector couldn’t stop fawning over her. She really ruined the quality of the class,” Draco said.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Riley said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

She forgot all about her possible attraction to Draco when she attended her first Defense class. She realized immediately that Professor Lupin knew what he was doing. He had them working on subjects that had never even been mentioned in her previous classes. Riley found him engaging enough that she actually managed to retain some of the information. She even got up the courage to ask questions in class. Despite the fact that Professor Snape seemed to dislike him immensely, Riley couldn’t seem to keep from appreciating his class. A part of her felt guilty. First she had betrayed Professor Snape with her possible attraction to Draco, and now she liked a teacher that Professor Snape loathed. How could she possibly justify that?

“You’re being completely ridiculous,” Jenny said, as she hovered over her cauldron.

“You just don’t understand,” Riley said firmly.

“I understand that you have emotions like a normal teenager and that there’s nothing wrong with that. Is that what you mean? Because Snape has completely unreasonable vendettas against people and he is also way too old for you. It might be time to listen to yourself and move on to greener pastures.” Jenny sprinkled in some toadstool.

“He’s my soulmate! We’re destined to be! Dating someone else would be a betrayal of our bond,” Riley hissed; part of her frustration came from her smoking potion.

“Blimey, you’ve really botched this one. You must be more distracted than I thought. Here, just let me make a few adjustments.” Jenny added a few things to Riley’s potion and directed her to stir it.

The potion returned to a color and consistency more resembling of Jenny’s potion. “Thanks Jenny. I’m just really shaken up by all of this. I was so sure about Professor Snape and me that any threat to that makes me very nervous.”

“I wouldn’t think to hard on it. Besides, you said you weren’t sure about Malfoy, right? Don’t get worked up until you’re sure, then.” Jenny finished her potion with a flare.

Professor Snape glowered from across the room. “Oh dear, he’s very angry now. Jenny, couldn’t you have finished your potion more subtly? He’s coming over now. Don’t react to him. If you embarrass me right now, I’ll hit you.”

Professor Snape stopped in front of them. “I see that Ms. Jones has decided to show off again, as usual. Good work, Ms. Dracula.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Riley said; Jenny managed to keep her mouth shut.

As soon as Professor Snape left, Jenny snarled. “I’m going to pound his smug face in.”

“Please don’t.”

Later that afternoon, Riley ran into Pansy Parkinson on her way to the library. “Pansy, you look terrible. What happened? Did Draco turn you down again?”

Pansy glared. “You haven’t even been to see him, some friend you are! Draco has been grievously injured, and you’re just walking around like nothing is wrong!”

Riley paled. “What are you talking about? Draco’s been hurt?”

“As if you don’t know. It’s all around the school! Draco was attacked by one of the beasts that bloody oaf introduced in our class, completely out of the blue! He is lying in the hospital wing, in a great deal of pain,” Pansy said dramatically.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it. I’ll go there right away.” Riley hurried past her and practically ran to the hospital wing. 

She stepped inside to see Draco laying prone on a hospital bed, Madam Pomfrey hovering over him. Despite his apparently grievous injury, he looked remarkably healthy. Riley hurried towards him. Madam Pomfrey gave her an assessing look.

“Mr. Malfoy, I have healed your injury completely,” Madam Pomfrey said.

“Yes, but my arm still hurts. I’m not sure I can move it correctly. The beast must have damaged the bones and tendons in my arm,” Draco said morosely.

“All of the damage is healed. You may be feeling phantom pain. However, I will keep you in the hospital wing overnight for observation. Ms. Dracula, you may stay for a while, but Mr. Malfoy needs to rest if he is going to start classes tomorrow.” Madam Pomfrey shuffled away.

Riley sat on the edge of Draco’s bed. “Are you alright?” 

Draco smiled. “I wasn’t sure you’d come to see me. I forgot you’d be in classes and probably just heard about it.”

“I passed Pansy in the hallway. How did this happen?” Riley patted his knee.

“The hippogriff attacked me out of nowhere. After Potter got it to bow to him, I thought we’d have no problem. I was stroking its feathers, and it tried to claw me open. It’s a miracle I didn’t bleed to death right there,” Draco said dramatically.

Riley frowned. “Are you sure you didn’t say anything rude? It’s very easy to offend hippogriffs. They do understand English. Even if you weren’t intending it, if you said something off color in its presence…”

Draco looked away. “I didn’t. It came out of nowhere.”

Riley sighed. “That is a rather dangerous creature to introduce to third years. You’re lucky no one else was hurt. I would’ve picked something a bit easier. Perhaps a puffskein? That’s what Professor Kettleburn had us take care of for our first project.”

“My father is going to visit me this evening. He’s going to get that hippogriff put down,” Draco said harshly.

Riley grimaced. “Is that really necessary? You’ll be completely recovered soon enough. It wasn’t acting out of character. It just seems unfair that it should be put down. Are you sure?”

“Father won’t stand for it. Even if I wanted to, Father won’t be convinced. One way or another, that hippogriff will be executed before the school year is out,” Draco said firmly.

“Well, I have to leave. I don’t want Madam Pomfrey to yell at me for disturbing your rest. I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?” Riley squeezed his hand.

“Have a good evening, Riley,” Draco said back gently.

Riley flushed and scrambled to leave the hospital wing. On her way to the library, Riley mulled over her feelings. She had begun to see Draco in a new light. Her former mild affection and friendship had morphed into something else. She felt nervous and a bit shy around him. It was similar, but not the same way as the way she felt towards Professor Snape. She didn’t have the right words to describe it. 

She nearly bumped into a suit of armor. Riley patted the suit awkwardly. She had gotten so distracted that she stopped noticing her surroundings. Jenny would give her such trouble for this. Riley winced at the thought of Jenny’s teasing comments. She rounded the corner and paused outside of the library. She hadn’t told Jenny or Scarlet where she was going, so they must be wondering where she disappeared to. Riley did not look forward to that conversation. 

Riley grit her teeth and quietly slipped into the library. She moved through the library as quietly as possible. She hoped she could just slide in and pretend that she had been there the entire time. She snuck into the book shelves, and spotted Jenny and Scarlet seated at their usual table. Jenny bent over her book, carefully making notes on a parchment. Scarlet read quietly across from her. Riley frowned. Were they always this quiet when she wasn’t around.

“Riley, I can see you hiding over there,” Jenny said without looking up from her notes.

“How did you see me? You’re looking at your notes,” Riley grumbled as she sat down at the table.

“I have this thing called peripheral vision. It allows me to see things that I’m not looking directly at. You might call it ‘looking out of the corner of your eye’,” Jenny said.

“Ha, ha.” Riley pulled out her textbooks.

“So, where were you, Riley? You’re nearly a half hour late,” Scarlet said, flipping another page.

“Draco was injured. I went to go and check on him in the hospital wing,” Riley said quickly.

Jenny looked up. “For a half an hour. What were you doing, snogging?”

Riley flushed. “Absolutely not!”

“I was mostly joking, but now that I see your face, I think I might have actually hit the nail on the head,” Jenny said, amused.

“I didn’t! I just talked to him for a bit. He was attacked by one of the hippogriffs Hagrid introduced to the third years. Apparently his father’s going to have it executed,” Riley explained.

“Hippogriffs? That would have been better for the sixth or seventh years. They are very easily offended,” Scarlet said.

“That little git. I bet he insulted it on purpose,” Jenny said rudely.

“Do you really think so? I wouldn’t be surprised. He would be too embarrassed to tell me if he did. He seemed very shifty when I asked him directly,” Riley said.

“So, have you finally figured out that you’ve got a crush on him?” Jenny asked.

“What? No! I… I don’t know,” Riley said, agitated.

Scarlet closed her book. “Riley has a crush on Draco Malfoy? I can’t say I expected that. He doesn’t really seem like her type. Except, well, Professor Snape is a Slytherin.”

“That’s where you are very mistaken, Scarlet. They have more in common than you think. They’re both huge gits that no one likes, who are nice basically only to her. Malfoy is definitely her type!” Jenny said, nibbling on a chocolate frog that she had pulled from her robes.

“Okay, so maybe I have a crush on Draco! It’s not like I’m going to do anything about it! Professor Snape is my soulmate! I can’t betray him like that,” Riley said.

“Does he even know you’re his soulmate? From what I understand from talking to Jeremy, if a vampire is soulmates with a human, the human won’t feel the soulmate connection. It’s a species thing, I think. So he wouldn’t know, right? How do you know that he hasn’t been seeing someone else, or that he doesn’t have feelings for someone else?” Jenny pointed out.

Riley ignored the twinge of pain and fear. “That doesn’t matter. I know. Which means that I can’t betray what we have. I owe him better than that.”

“It’s not like you can really be together until you’re adults anyways,” Scarlet added.

“I won’t do it!” Riley insisted.

“Okay, we’ll stop pushing for now. I just want you to consider that you have other options besides Snape. Malfoy is definitely interested in you, and you can’t say the same about Snape. It’s okay to explore other options before you settle down with your soulmate. I’m not a fan of the soulmate thing, anyways. Jeremy says his parents were soulmates, and now they hate each other and live on exact opposite sides of the world. If I had a soulmate, I definitely wouldn’t wait around for them,” Jenny said.

Riley sighed. “You’re right, Jenny. I’m just not sure. I don’t even have a complete picture of how I really feel about Draco. I need to take time to really figure out what he means to me before I decide if I want to date him.” 

“As long as you know your options. I just want you to be happy. Preferably, not with a crusty old man,” Jenny said sincerely.

Riley smiled gratefully at her friends. No matter what, they had her back. 

Riley spent the time before dinner working on her homework. She wondered how Draco was doing, lying alone in the hospital wing. She hoped he wasn’t too bored. Riley fidgeted the closer dinner approached. She hoped Draco would return by breakfast tomorrow. The longer he stayed in the hospital, the more she would worry about him. 

She found Vincent and Gregory immediately, hoping to get a less biased report from them. They brightened when they saw her approach at the start of dinner. Riley glanced back at the Gryffindor table and noticed that many members were glaring at the Slytherins. Hostility crackled in the Great Hall. Riley sighed, and took her seat.

She leaned towards Vincent and Gregory. “Okay, what really happened? I saw Draco this afternoon, but he wouldn’t tell me much. Anyone else will blow me off. I want to know what you saw happen.”

Gregory sighed. “He definitely insulted it. Guess he thought the bird couldn’t understand him, or couldn’t read his body language, and he was surprised when it attacked. The Gryffindors were bloody pissed. We had to throw our weight around to keep them from throwing down about it. The oaf took Malfoy to the hospital wing. We didn’t visit, because we’re sure he wouldn’t want us to. Hospital wing is only for fawning girls, family, or fans, and not for anyone else.”

“Does that make me a fawning girl?” Riley said, smiling.

Vincent paled. “No, Riley, ‘course not. You’d most likely fall under the family category, since you’re so close.” 

“Well, that’s very nice of you to say. I think he’ll be alright. I’m not sure, but I think he might be exaggerating his injuries, and he might keep doing that even after he heals up. I’m worried it might cause a problem with Gryffindor,” Riley said thoughtfully.

“Whatever Malfoy says, we’ll back him up,” Vincent said.

“Alright. I understand. I’m sure you’re hungry, so I’ll stop bothering you with silly questions,” Riley said.

They both dug gratefully into their meals, and Riley picked at her food as she contemplated the day. So much had happened in the space of just a few hours. Who knew what else could be in store? Riley made sure to eat her fill, and then she went upstairs. She drafted her first letter to her father of the year.

_Dear Father,_

_So much has happened since we arrived at Hogwarts. Dementors, the prison guards who drain the happiness of people, stopped our train to search for Sirius Black. Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is actually competent for once. Draco was injured by a magical creature who will likely be executed. I’m not sure what to do. At least Trelawney didn’t predict my death. How has your trip been? I hope you are having fun in the northern parts of Europe. Send Jeremy and Edward my love. Did Jeremy get the note that Jenny left for him? I do miss you very much, Father. I can’t wait to see you for Christmas. Write to me soon!_

_Love,  
Riley_

It took Riley a long time to fall asleep. Despite her feigned indifference, Riley felt herself falling for Draco.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On schedule! The next chapter is: In Which Jenny Meets Moony. It's election night in the U.S., so let's all cry inside!!!


	5. In Which Jenny Meets Moony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny has her first class with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Her suspicions are piqued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

“I have Defense this morning,” Jenny told the twins at breakfast, “Riley said he’s pretty good. What did you think?”

Fred grinned. “First good Defense teacher we’ve had since we started school. The first two were alright, but Quirrell and Lockhart? I was worried we’d get someone much worse. I wonder why he hasn’t been hired before?”

“Maybe there’s something wrong with him we don’t know about,” George suggested, taking a giant bite of bacon.

Jenny tapped her fingers on the table. “You know, I did think that there was something off about him. When I saw him sitting at the table, I got a… I dunno. A feeling, I guess. I can’t explain it.”

Fred frowned. “He seems alright to me.”

“I might just be imagining things. I tend to be twitchy, you know. I still can’t believe that Harry was the one Trelawney picked for her death of year. I expected more from her. It’s way too cliché,” Jenny said. 

“Isn’t cliché kind of Trelawney’s thing?” George said.

“No! Drama is her thing. Though, I guess Harry’s death prediction would be more dramatic than anyone else in that class. He’s the Boy Who Lived, after all. I was really rooting for Hermione though. I feel cheated.”

Jenny joined the rest of the Gryffindor first years in waiting for Professor Lupin. They whispered excitedly. Lupin walked into the room, and the hairs on the back of Jenny’s neck stood up again. Jenny watched him quietly as he explained the lesson. 

“Now, fourth years normally learn about basic hexes and curses in this year. I know your previous teachers have been rather lax in their instruction, but I’m sure you can keep up. We’ll start by practicing hexes against each other. I’ll teach you the spells, and you will duel. It’s best to learn how to use hexes against an opponent, instead of just practicing. Now, stand up and find a partner.” Lupin waved his wand and the desks and chairs moved to the sides of the room.

Jenny paired up with Katie Bell. “Do you remember the Dueling Club we had last year?” Jenny asked.

Katie grimaced. “How could anyone forget?”

Lupin had them practice the incantation for deflecting hexes a few times before indicating that they should face off. “I encourage you to be creative with your hexes. Remember, try not to injure your opponent. This is practice, not battle. And please, no stunning spells!” 

Katie and Jenny faced off. They drew they wands and flung hexes and counters hexes back and fourth. Katie did pretty well; she was probably better than Jenny. Eventually, Jenny slipped up and Katie hit her with a Jelly-Legs jinx, which ended up with Jenny falling on the floor. 

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry. Professor Lupin? I can’t remember the counter-jinx for this, could you help?” Katie called out.

Professor Lupin walked over. “Good work, Ms. Bell. Just a moment, Ms. Jones.” He waved his wand and Jenny’s legs stopped twitching.

Lupin took her hand to help her up, and Jenny felt her skin prickle at the contact. She looked at him. Something about him reminded her of something. She frowned at him. Lupin stepped back awkwardly and moved to help another set of students. Jenny pushed her hair back from her face.

“I think I’m beat. You’re pretty good at this stuff, Katie,” Jenny said.

Katie smiled. “Thank you! I really like Defense.”

“It’s certainly useful, though not exactly my area. I’m more of a ‘punch someone and run’ kind of person,” Jenny replied.

Katie snickered. “I think pretty much everyone knows that.”

Lupin gave everyone five points each for their hard work, and dismissed them. Jenny watched him carefully as she exited the class. An idea of familiarity hovered at the back of her mind. It stayed there through the rest of her lessons through the day. On her way to the library after Transfiguration, it popped into her head. Jenny ran to the library to tell Scarlet and Riley.

“It’s Zeke! Professor Lupin reminds me of Zeke. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. It’s so completely obvious. I must be blind as a bat!” Jenny said as she dumped her bag on the table.

“Hello Jenny, nice of you to join us,” Scarlet said sardonically.

“Yes, yes, I’m being very rude. That’s not the point. Lupin’s been giving me odd vibes since I first saw him, and I finally realized what it was. He’s too familiar. The way he carries himself, his demeanor, it’s totally reminiscent of Zeke. I need to know more,” Jenny said fiercely.

“Do you think he might be…” Riley said cautiously.

“Maybe. It would explain why he hasn’t been hired before. I don’t have enough evidence. It’s just a feeling. If he is one, he doesn’t seem to recognize it in me. Then again, most werewolves are solitary. I spent the first 14 years of my life surrounded by werewolves, before and after I was turned into one. I doubt he has that kind of experience. Then again, I could just be imagining it. I could be projecting onto him because I’m lonely and he reminds me of my brother.” Jenny pouted. 

“Well, you won’t know unless you ask,” Riley said.

“If I ask him outright he’ll definitely deny it. I’ll need to investigate. I wouldn’t want to accidentally accuse someone who isn’t one. That might expose me. I’ll just spy on him instead.” Jenny said, enthused.

Scarlet sighed. “Why is spying and sneaking around always your answer to everything?”

“Do you have a better idea?” Jenny asked.

Scarlet looked unimpressed. “No, I don’t. Did you enjoy your class, at least?”

“Oh yeah, it was loads of fun. Katie Bell got me with a Jelly Legs Jinx and I writhed around the floor like a sad octopus.” Jenny grimaced.

“Ah, Defense Against the Dark Arts not your strong suit?” Scarlet asked.

“Well, It’s not my best class. I wouldn’t say it’s my worst. Probably Astronomy. I just can’t seem to care about all of those tiny planets and stars in the sky. I’m sure to get an A at best on my OWLs,” Jenny said sadly. 

“Oh, speaking of OWLs, I have loads of homework. Look at this giant pile,” Scarlet said, dropping a pile of parchment on the table.

“Well, that’s off putting,” Jenny commented.

“That looks horrible. I’m so going to fail,” Riley groaned.

“Chin up, Riley! You won’t fail all of your OWLs!” Jenny said cheerfully.

“You’re not helping.”

“We should do the only homework of ours that’s actually fun: our Divination dream journals! I can’t wait to see what horrors will be revealed in our dreams,” Jenny said, pulling out her journal. 

“I’m pretty sure my most recent dream is saying that I’m going to be eaten by the Giant Squid in the Great Lake,” Riley said, flipping open her own book.

“Metaphor, Riley, metaphor! You have no imagination for metaphor. I wish you would put a little bit of effort into it,” Jenny said.

“Why does it matter when I’m terrible at school either way?” Riley said morosely.

“Ah, but how will you impress Snape - Merlin I can’t believe I’m saying this - if you don’t put in the effort? Imagine how disappointed, ugh, he would be if he found out that you flunked your exams because you gave up? How will you get him to marry, ew, you? Please Riley just do it I don’t think I can stomach trying to use Snape as a motivator anymore. I think Snape is my Plodding Squats. Every time I say his name, I feel faint. Though it’s with disgust rather than fear. I guess it’s not really comparable, is it?” Jenny said, her stomach twisting queasily.

Riley perked up. “You’re right, Jenny! I’m not just saying that because I feel sorry for you after the torture you just put yourself through. It was admirable, really. I can’t believe you really worked that hard for me.”

“Happy to be of service. Please try to have a little fun with the dream journal thing.” Jenny said.

Jenny bumped into Kelsey in the halls the next day. Kelsey looked as she always did; mildly bored and extremely professional. Jenny did note hints of tension in the corners of her eyes. 

“Oh, hello Jenny. How are you today?” Kelsey said stiffly.

“I’m splendid. Look, can we talk, please? I don’t really want to be at odds with you, since you’re probably the only family I’m going to see for the rest of my life,” Jenny pleaded.

Kelsey sighed. “Alright, Jenny. Let’s talk.”

They found a bench in the hallway. “I feel like our conversation in Flourish and Blotts didn’t go so well. You seemed very upset with me,” Jenny said carefully.

“Well, you abandoned us. You turned your back on the entire family because Grandfather Conrí wouldn’t give you what you wanted,” Kelsey said snidely.

“Kelsey, please. It wasn’t about that. He was going to rip away the only thing that kept me sane. He would have never let me return to Hogwarts. Remember what happened during Christmas? That would’ve been my life for the rest of my days. Do you think I would really be me after a couple of years of that? I couldn’t have kept up those kind of high spirits forever. I would have cracked. At least this way, there’s a chance that I might be able to see any of you again as myself. I regret that I couldn’t take any of you with me. Especially Emmett. But the alternative was so much worse. More than you could ever know. Being at Hogwarts… it made being a werewolf bearable. I had a handle on it. If I had to stay home, I wouldn’t have been able to keep that up. Please, try to understand,” Jenny said, her voice rough.

Kelsey frowned. “Hogwarts has its… benefits. I would never have met Liam if not for it. I understand the allure of freedom that it offers. I can’t deny that you look happier than I have ever seen you. But at what cost? You will never be allowed back home. If any of us die, you won’t be allowed to come to our funerals. Ezekiel is probably going to marry that girl soon. You won’t be allowed to see him wed. You’ve burned a bridge, and you’ll never be able to cross it again.”

Jenny nodded. “I know. I can’t tell you how much I wish that I could do all of those things. I still wouldn’t trade it for what I’ve gained. I have true parental love from my Vova. He takes care of me and respects my opinions. I have new friends and new freedoms. I don’t have to follow the strict rules that I never cared for. I regret Emmett more than anything. But I would still do it all again.”

Kelsey’s expression shifted. “I suppose I was too harsh on you. I know that our family has caused you a great deal of pain, especially Grandfather. They never seemed to understand how to reach you.”

Jenny snorted. “Calling me Jennifer all of the time when I clearly prefer Jenny is just the start of it.”

“Oh, you do hate that, don’t you? I remember after… that was the start of it, wasn’t it?” Kelsey said softly.

“Yes, it was. I think we both might’ve done better if we had switched places. I wanted nothing more to make Mother and Father happy before I was Bitten. I would’ve been overjoyed to do whatever they wanted. I know you wanted to be Bitten more than anything,” Jenny replied.

Kelsey scoffed. “We both know why that didn’t happen. You wouldn’t have stayed obedient for long. It’s not in your nature. You’d have tried to overthrow Grandfather or turned everyone in to the Ministry.”

“Possibly. Besides, we would’ve never figured out that I’m the best damn shot in our family.” Jenny joked.

“Please don’t use such awful language,” Kelsey said huffily.

“Aw, Kelsey, don’t be so prudish. Are you like that with Liam?” Jenny teased.

A light blush bloomed on her cheeks. “I don’t see how that’s your business.”

Jenny snickered. “You’re so cute. I bet you pretend to be all cold but you just can’t help but smiling when he’s around. I can tell.”

“It hardly matters if I am.”

“Oh, Kelsey, don’t get so huffy. I love the soft side of you. It’s my favorite part. I bet Liam likes that part, and I bet he likes Prim Kelsey too.”

“Would you stop teasing me! I’ve never teased you about anything,” Kelsey said hotly.

“That’s because you’re not the teasing type. Don’t worry. I have plenty of people to tease me. I’m friends with the Weasley twins, remember?” Jenny smirked.

“They’re so dreadful, honestly. I don’t understand what you like about them,” Kelsey said primly.

“I bet you like their older brother, Percy. He’s the Head Boy, you know,” Jenny said.

Kelsey nodded. “He’s very responsible and well behaved in class. He does have a bit of an ego, though.”

Jenny stared laugh. “I can’t believe you said that! ‘Bit of an ego’. I have got tell Fred and George that you said that! They’ll probably swear allegiance to you right there. I’d love to see that, honestly.”

“Stop making fun of me,” Kelsey groaned.

“So, are we good?” Jenny asked.

“I supposed so. We have completely different beliefs, but you’re my sister. This year is probably the last time I’ll see you. And I can’t help but think that because of you, I got to come back for my final year. I don’t know how I could ever thank you for that,” Kelsey said sincerely.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Don’t overthink it. I did it for myself, and not anyone else. The truly selfless thing would’ve been to detonate my blackmail instead of using it to escape.”

Kelsey frowned. “What was your blackmail, anyways?”

“The whole point of blackmail is that you don’t give it up. I can’t say, or that would be violating my agreement with Grandfather Conrí. It was lovely talking to you, and I’m sure I’ll see you around. Have a wonderful day, Kelsey!” Jenny squeezed her in an awkward hug and ran off.

“So, did you like your class with Lupin? I didn’t get a chance to ask you at lunch because you were staring off into space and practically inhaling your food,” Fred said at dinner.

“It was good. He’s definitely the best professor we’ve had, though I guess that’s not saying much, really,” Jenny commented. 

“We covered all sorts of interesting things. Lupin said we would learn about a bunch of basic hexes and curses, as well as ghouls and snakes. In our first lesson he showed us how to get rid of a giant snake! I’m pretty sure Alicia screamed so loud the glass cracked,” George said happily.

“Ron said they had to fight a boggart in Lupin’s class. Ron says his turned into a giant spider, and he took its legs off,” Fred added.

Jenny shivered. “I’m so glad we didn’t fight one in my class. My worst fear… way too revealing.”

“Is this about the Gryffindor thing again?” George asked.

“No, no, it has nothing to do with that. I’m way past the Gryffindor thing. It has to do with my family. I’m actually not entirely sure what would show up, but what I can guess isn’t something I want my fellow classmates to see,” Jenny said.

“Harry didn’t go, what do you reckon his worst fear is?” Fred mused.

“A little invasive, don’t you think? If I had to guess, it’d probably be Plodding Squats, or a dementor. It made him faint. I’m pretty sure Harry’s never felt so vulnerable in a fight. It’s actually a pretty reasonable fear, I have to admit. Speaking of which, I’m surprised none of the other students had Plodding Squats as their worst fear. He’s a bloody terrifying bloke,” Jenny commented.

“Plodding Squats?” George questioned.

“Ah, sorry. It’s my new nickname for Moldy Warts. I have to keep changing it, or I get bored,” Jenny said.

“Amazing. I don’t think anyone is brave enough to mangle his chosen name. It’s one thing to say it, but making fun of it is almost like you don’t take him seriously. It’s a good thing he’s not still alive, or he’d kill you for sure,” Fred said nervously.

“Not if I shoot him in the face first,” Jenny ate a dinner roll.

“Huh?” George blinked.

“I’m not going to try to explain guns to you again, so please don’t ask,” Jenny said wearily.

“Why would this gun thing beat You Know Who, anyway? It’s a Muggle device, not magic,” Fred said.

“Fred, Fred, Fred. Muggles have weapons that can destroy entire cities from a distance. They have weapons far more amazing than a mere wand. I could pull a gun and kill Plodding Squats before he even opened his mouth to cast a killing curse, if he was still alive. That’s how fast a gun is,” Jenny said condescendingly.

“Muggles are bloody terrifying. Why do purebloods think they’re better than them, then?” George wondered.

“Isn’t it obvious? They can’t see beyond their own power. No offense,” Jenny said.

“Why would we take offense? We’re blood traitors, remember?” Fred said.

Jenny kept a close eye on Lupin for the rest of the month. She watched him during her classes, during meals, and sometimes she looked for him when classes weren’t in session. Despite this, she did not find any more evidence that supported her theory. By the third week in September, Jenny gave up on trying to smoke him out and decided to focus on her actual classes.

Scarlet had buried herself in studying for her OWLs, despite the fact that they were nearly nine months away. Whenever they saw her, she had her head buried in a book. Even when they finished there homework and had moved up to the “spending time together” portion of their library meet ups, Scarlet kept her textbooks out.

“Are all Ravenclaws this studious?” Jenny asked.

Scarlet lowered her book. “Oh, absolutely not. It’s about half and half. I just happen to be on the ‘getting good grades is an exemplification of superior knowledge’ half. The other half is ‘why would we be studying when we can learn stuff that has nothing to do with our classes?’.”

“So if I had been Sorted into Ravenclaw, I’d be in that half, right?” Jenny said.

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “I suppose. Though I would point out that you do, on occasion, study very hard in certain subjects.”

“Well, yes, but only the ones I really care about! Mainly, Transfiguration. I don’t actually study that much for Potions, I’m just really good at it!” Jenny protested.

“If any of us is the one who doesn’t study, it’s me,” Riley added.

“That’s a lie! You just aren’t academically inclined. You study plenty when it’s about Potions or one of the subjects that you actually like,” Jenny pointed out.

“Why are you two arguing about who is the worst student?” Scarlet put her book down.

“To get you to stop ignoring us and to put down your textbook,” Riley said.

“You’re starting to resemble Hermione. Did you know that she’s taking every single elective this year? I don’t know how she fit all of that into her schedule,” Jenny said.

“It’s impossible. There simply isn’t enough space in the curriculum for all five electives. You’d have to have more than one of you to do that,” Scarlet said flatly.

“Well, somehow she’s doing it. I don’t know how, but she it. She’s gotten all of her homework from her classes, and her teachers have seen her, so she must be going to all of her classes,” Jenny replied.

“How odd. It was hard enough for me to go to one extra class last year. I wonder…” Scarlet seemed lost in thought.

“Hello, Scarlet? Are you in there?” Jenny asked.

“Hmmm? Oh, yes, sorry. I’m very intrigued by the explanation for how Hermione is taking all of her classes,” Scarlet said absently.

“And… we’ve lost her again.” Jenny rolled her eyes. 

Jenny’s vision wavered. She sat in History of Magic, Binns’s droning voice lulling her to sleep. She stared at her textbook, trying to make the words come into focus. No such luck. Seriously, she needed to bring this to the headmaster. It was a crime to have a class this boring. Jenny gave into defeat and laid her head on the textbook, immediately falling asleep. She woke up to students shuffling towards the exit. Jenny groaned and collected her things. 

She bumped into Lupin on her way to the library. Her books dropped onto the floor. She dropped to pick them up, and noticed Lupin kneeling down to help her. Jenny observed him carefully. She had never stood this close to him. Her nerves stood on hand; the wolf in her recognized a predator when she saw one. Jenny stuffed her books in her bag and quickly took her things from Lupin. They both stood; he towered over a foot taller than her. He smiled gently down at her. 

“Thank you, Professor. I have to go. Have a good afternoon!” Jenny slipped past him and raced away, trying not to make it look like she was running. 

She made it to the library in record time. She slid over to Scarlet and Riley and bent her head close to them. They listened carefully.

“Okay, so you know how I abandoned the ‘Lupin is a werewolf’ theory earlier this week? Well, I’m un-abandoning it. I bumped into him today and he helped me pick up my books, and I just got this chill. I think my original instincts were right,” Jenny whispered.

Riley frowned. “But why does it matter if he’s a werewolf or not? Can’t you just leave him be?”

Jenny shook her head. “Absolutely not! I have to know the truth! The next full moon isn’t until the end of September. What if he hasn’t told Dumbledore he’s a werewolf? He could be putting students in danger. I have no idea if he would have access to Wolfsbane. I have know. I can’t stand it.”

“Jenny, if you’re sure, then we believe you. Just be careful, and try not to make him too defensive? He’s the best DADA teacher we’ve ever had,” Scarlet cautioned.

“I don’t deny that. I could always be wrong about him, anyways,” Jenny said carefully.

Jenny set her concerns aside and focused on a different werewolf: her brother Emmett. She had not received a single letter from him this summer. Granted, she had been traveling, but it seemed suspicious. Jenny pulled out an ink and quill and began drafting him a new letter. She hoped this one would actually reach him.

_Dear Emmett,_

_How are you? I haven’t heard from you since summer started, though I haven’t written much. I hope that you are having fun. How are Zeke and Comfort? We have a new professor this year for Defense Against the Dark Arts; his name is Remus Lupin. He’s actually very good. I don’t know if we’ll have any other good professors. I hope so, or I’ll be massively disappointed. Have your lessons been going well? I hope Aunt Oighrig is teaching you maths, you’ll definitely need it. I miss you very much. Say hello to everyone for me._

_Love,  
Jenny_

Jenny watched Sable fly away with only a small pang in her heart. She had hoped her parents wouldn’t have restricted her correspondence so thoroughly. Perhaps her grandfather was trying to manipulate her into giving in and coming home. Jenny sighed. 

She tucked her writing supplies away and picked up the photo of her and her siblings. She gently touched Emmett’s small face, a small smile curling at the edges of her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to make it clear that Jenny is NOT interested in Lupin romantically. I'm sure most of you can guess where this is going. Anyways, the next chapter, "In Which Riley Asks Questions", will be posted later this week. Sorry this is a little late!


	6. In Which Riley Asks Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley reads her mother's diary and gets the runaround from her fellow vampires.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

Riley closed her door behind her and locked it. She had begged off of playing Exploding Snap this evening so she could get her questions answered. She crept over to her trunk. She moved her clothing aside until she reached the bottom. She felt around until her hand closed over a leather journal. Riley carefully extracted the book and flipped it open.

_1 September 1949_

_I am so excited! Today is my very first day at Beauxbatons. I can barely contain my excitement. It is so very beautiful here. I love the horse drawn carriages that brought us to the school. There are beautiful statues everywhere, and the entire castle is bathed in warm light. It reminds me of a true palace. The beautiful fountains accentuate the lovely gardens. Our Headmistress is truly elegant. I aspire to be like her._

_The other girls here are very nice. We are split into dorms by age. There are about fifty girls in my year. We are split into ten rooms with five girls per room. Apparently at Hogwarts, they have Houses that they are Sorted into. Beauxbatons does not believe in such silly divisions. I don’t think I would like to go to Hogwarts. It seems quite barbaric there._

_25 December 1949_

_They have towering ice sculptures! They do not melt because they are magically preserved. I cannot deny that I am awed by this display of talent. I did not think I could love Beauxbatons even more, but it seems I can. I am glad I decided to stay for Christmas, even though my parents wanted me to go home. I would have regretted missing out on this._

_12 January 1950_

_My classes are so fulfilling. I enjoy every one, no matter how difficult. I cannot imagine what it must be like to go to school somewhere else. All schools should be like Beauxbatons._

_16 March 1950_

_Some of the girls were talking today about Muggleborns. When I said something my father had told me, they looked at me with disgust. Apparently, it is very offensive to speak of Muggleborns that way. I didn’t mean to offend. I feel so very guilty now. I wish I hadn’t said anything. I’m worried that nobody will talk to me anymore._

_20 March 1950_

_One of my roommates explained everything to me. Apparently, my parents are blood purists who think they are better than everyone else, despite the fact that they do not have any more inherent magical power than half bloods or Muggleborns. I feel terrible about what I said. I apologized profusely. They seemed to forgive me, at the very least. I wish I hadn’t opened my mouth. I am determined to learn all I can so I can be a better student._

_15 April 1950_

_I heard two girls gossiping in the hall about another school, called Durmstrang. They said it was a school for Dark Wizards. Apparently, the Dark Wizard Grindlewald went there. I remember my father talking about him, and how Albus Dumbledore defeated him. It was actually quite recently (only about five years ago). I was too young to remember much, but I do remember my father being disappointed that Grindlewald lost. Dumbledore is the Headmaster of Hogwarts. My parents always spoke derisively about Hogwarts. I wonder: if my conception of Muggleborns was so incorrect, could my conception of Hogwarts be as well?_

Riley closed the book for a moment and took a deep breath. The dates confused her the most. If the dates in this diary held true, it meant that her mother had been over forty when she gave birth to Riley. It didn’t match up with what her father had told her. Riley frowned, and flipped through the pages. Despite her thinking that she had read the dates wrong in the first journal, she could not mistake her mother’s handwriting. 

Riley closed the diary and put it back into her trunk. She sat on the edge of her bed, mulling it over. The question that sat at the forefront of her mind was this: how could she learn as much about Beauxbatons as possible?

The next day in the library, Riley grilled Jenny on research. “I want to learn everything I can about the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Can you help me?”

Jenny shrugged. “Sure. You’re going to have to talk to Madam Pince, though.”

Jenny and Riley cautiously approached Madam Pince’s desk and asked for help. She eyed them suspiciously, before pointing them towards one of the isles. Jenny moved fluidly through the stacks, her eyes scanning the titles. She pulled out books in rapid succession, stacking them in Riley’s arms. When she finished, she pushed Riley out of the isle and towards to the table.

“Now, there isn’t a lot of information on Beauxbatons. Unlike Hogwarts, they are very secretive. You’d have better luck if you could somehow get access to their library. Which would never happen. Barring that, these books should give you a baseline idea of what it’s like. I’d start with this stack. These are most likely to have the basics. This stack over here will give you a list of famous Beauxbatons students, as well as pureblood lineages who are legacies at Beauxbatons. They are even less into the pureblood thing than Hogwarts, but that doesn’t mean that some purebloods don’t like the prestige. This final stack is going to be mostly about things that aren’t Beauxbatons, but there might be a few nuggets here and there. I’d save this stack for last.” Jenny sorted the books into neat stacks.

Riley smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Jenny. You’ve given me a lot of help.”

Jenny scoffed. “If I was really going to help you, I would read through some of the books. I’m not going to do that, so good luck. I’d take notes if I were you.”

Riley watched Jenny pull out one of her father’s romance novels with awed fascination. Scarlet even looked up to stare at her as well. Jenny raised her eyebrow and went back to reading.

Scarlet turned to Riley. “How long has she been reading romance novels?”

“Since she found out that my father has half of a library full of them. It’s so embarrassing. Sometimes they talk about them at the dinner table. I wish I could disappear into the floor. It’s the worst when they read the same book together and then they have their own little book club. She’s ruining my life,” Riley complained.

“Poor Riley. You’re having such troubling time, aren’t you,” Scarlet said mockingly.

Jenny lowered her book. “Don’t steal my niche, Scarlet. Why don’t you go back to your studying?’’

“Don’t worry, Jenny. I promise not to steal your schtick,” Scarlet assured her.

Jenny set her book down. “Do you think I should get a subscription to Witch Weekly?”

“Something tells me that would be a terrible idea,” Scarlet said.

“Why do you even want that anyway?” Riley asked skeptically.

“For the same reason I took Divination: the drama. I don’t really believe in Divination or in gossip, but I enjoy the catharsis it brings me,” Jenny explained.

Riley rolled her eyes. “Get your catharsis somewhere else.”

That evening, Riley stayed in the Slytherin Common Room with Draco, to make up for abandoning him the day before. Draco still sported his sling, and made groaning noises so frequently that it made Riley’s hair stand on end. Vincent and Gregory seemed nearly immune to his dramatics. Riley wished she could say the same. Pansy had become worse to match him; she draped herself all over him, and constantly fawned at everything he did. She was clearly trying to stake a claim. Riley was not impressed.

“Oh, Pansy dear, could you get Draco something to drink? He seems quite parched,” Riley said rudely.

“Why can’t you get it?” Pansy snapped.

Riley rolled her eyes. “Because one of us is helping Vincent and Gregory study, and the other one is becoming a nuisance. Go, please.”

Pansy stomped off, right after flipping her hair in Riley’s direction. Riley rolled her eyes and pointed to another spot in Gregory’s textbook. She had no patience for whiny spoiled brats. Draco looked almost disappointed to see Pansy go. Riley frowned at him, trying to ignored the jealousy blooming in her chest.

“Are you sad to see her go? I think you’re enjoying this attention just a little to much,” Riley said snidely.

Draco looked over at her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Pansy was just being friendly.”

“If by friendly, you mean shoving her assets in your face, then you would be correct. Are you sure her laying on you didn’t hurt your arm?” Riley pointed to his sling. 

Draco shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean. The pain comes in fits and starts. Sometimes it feels absolutely fine, and other time…” He grimaced.

Riley moved towards him. “Are you alright? Oh dear, I should have told her to go away sooner. Maybe you should go to bed early. You must be very tired, right?”

Draco leaned back heavily against the sofa. “I am feeling a bit weak. Could you help me to my room, Riley?”

“Of course, Draco.” Riley propped him up on his feet and carefully lead him up the stairs and to his room. 

He leaned against her the entire way, his face turning a bit flushed and sweaty. Riley helped him inside, and set him gently onto his bed. Draco winced as she lowered him onto it. Riley fussed over him.

“Do you need help with your pajamas. Should I get Vincent or Gregory to assist you?” Riley asked anxiously.

Draco smiled at her. “You’re so kind, Riley. You always watch over me. I don’t know what I would do without a friend as good as you.”

Riley blushed. “Oh, it’s no big deal. I worry about you. I wish you had been more careful with that hippogriff. I know you said you didn’t say anything rude to it, but hippogriffs are so easily offended.”

Draco frowned. “It’s that oaf’s fault for introducing us to such a dangerous creature.”

Riley sighed. “That probably would have been a better lesson for sixth or seventh years. I’m a little disappointed. He’s completely regressed since that incident. He has us working with puffskeins again, which we covered last year. Your group is working with flobberworms, the most useless creatures known to wizardkind. It’s so disappointing. I think if you hadn’t gotten injured, we could have had a really interesting year. I suppose there’s nothing to be done.”

Draco closed his eyes. “I’m tired. Thank you, but I’d like to be left alone now.”

Riley rose from her spot at his bedside. “I’m sorry. Please get some rest, Draco. I worry about you.”

Riley left his room, feeling a bit off. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and her face tingled. She felt warm and floaty. It felt nothing like the instant familiarity she felt with Professor Snape, nor like their strong bond. Her affections for Draco seemed more ethereal. Riley pushed her feelings aside. She didn’t have time to consider whether or not she was falling for her friend. She had more important things to deal with.

Riley worked through each of the books Jenny selected for her. Unfortunately, Jenny’s assessment proved to be right. The books had very little, if any, information on the inner workings of Beauxbatons. She learned only about four new things by read an entire stack of books on Beauxbatons. She felt so frustrated that she nearly considered screaming out loud in the library. Madam Pince’s beady glare was the only thing that stopped her. 

Riley eventually finished every single book. She had learned about a page’s worth of information about Beauxbatons. She still had about a quarter of the diary left to read. Riley memorized her notes, and planned out the time to read the rest of the diary. 

She spent a lot of time with Draco, Vincent, and Gregory that day. She made sure to pay special attention to him, and resisted the urge to make any rude comments. Draco seemed flattered, and completely unaware of her nefarious purposes. By the time nine o’clock rolled around, Draco seemed tired of her. Riley excused herself and moved up to her bed. She pulled out the diary and began to read.

_20 April 1950_

_I decided to go home for Easter break. Mother and Father were happy to have me home. Mother became rather smothering, to the point where I seriously reconsidered the decision I made. I did not see Riley. He’s attending Hogwarts, as he lives in Scotland. Mother and Father are not impressed by that. He has written me a few letters. He seems very happy in them, so I can’t begrudge him the joy he has found._

_26 June 1950_

_I have been home for a few days. I miss Beauxbatons so much already. Mother and Father have me practicing dancing and other ladylike tasks during the summer. I barely have any time for homework. I wish they didn’t restrict every part of my life like this. I know asking them for more freedom is completely useless, so I don’t even bother._

Riley set down the book with a sigh. Clearly, her mother had been unhappy as a child, at least when she wasn’t at Beauxbatons. Riley had so many more questions now. So far, none of her research or anything of her investigations had lead her to any more information abut the mysterious Clara. Riley sighed. It seemed she would have to take the direct approach. Riley pulled out her quill and began to write.

_Dear Father,_

_I think it’s time for me to learn more about my mother. You have told me so little. I know she went to Beauxbatons, but what was it like for her there? Did she make friends? Is there anything she missed about going there? Where did you meet her? Did you ever meet her parents? I have so many questions, and you always seem to avoid them. I’m tired of waiting for answers. I want the truth._

_Love,  
Riley_

_Dearest Daughter,_

_This is not the kind of thing that one discusses over post. Of course we can talk about your mother when you come home for Christmas. How are your classes? Is Divination still bothersome? At least you only have to take it for one more year after this. Jeremy and Edward are doing well in their studies. We just finished our tour of Scandinavia, and now we are on our way back home. Edward has really applied himself to his maths. Jeremy… is passing his subjects. Send my love to Jenny. I can’t wait to see you again._

_Love,  
Father_

Riley resisted the urge to crumple the letter. She knew her father was just trying to protect her, but Riley was tired of being coddled. She wanted to know the truth, and the older she got, the more she realized that her father was hiding things from her. She had other people to ask.

_Dear Royal,_

_I am curious about a few things. I don’t know much about my mother. You must have spent some time with her. Is there anything you can tell me about her? What was their wedding like? Did you ever meet any of her friends? I would like to know anything you can tell me._

_Sincerely  
Riley_

_Dear Riley,_

_I don't know much about your mother. We didn’t spend that much time together when she was alive. It would be better to ask your father. I hope your studies are going well. You should write to Edward; he is lonely._

_Sincerely,  
Royal_

Riley tamped down the urge to scream. She had one more avenue to try. Riley penned another letter, this time with near disbelief. 

_Dear Amora,_

_I was wondering if you could answer a few of my questions about my mother. I am hoping to get a different perspective. My father tends to paint her in a glowing light, but I’m sure you remember a more realistic version. Did she ever tell you about her school days? Any friends she made? Did she ever talk about her family? I’m burning with curiosity that I hope you can satisfy. Write me soon, please._

_Sincerely,  
Riley_

_Dear Riley,_

_I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can say that your father hasn’t already told you. Please don’t ask me about your mother again. I don’t know anything. I hope you are doing well at school._

_Sincerely,  
Amora_

Riley frowned at the letter Amora wrote her. She had never known Amora to be taciturn. It seemed that her mother was a taboo subject. Riley sighed dejectedly. Amora would not provide the information she desired, it seemed. Riley resigned herself to ignorance, at least until Christmas. She stowed the letters away. Riley flipped through her mother’s journal again, searching for any clues to her inner psyche or her past.

“I don’t understand. Why is everyone acting so secretive about this?” Riley complained to Jenny and Scarlet.

“Maybe it’s because whatever they don’t want you to know is really bad. Maybe it’s about this Clara that you heard in your nightmares. If she’s connected to your buried worst memories, they might be trying to protect you from being hurt again,” Scarlet suggested.

“I really want to know who this Clara is. I’ve never heard your father mention anybody by that name, but you said your mother wrote about her in an old letter she sent to Royal,” Jenny said excitedly.

“Yes, that’s true. I haven’t seen a picture of her, and there’s no sign that she existed. i don’t even know what she looks like. She’s complete mystery to me. I want to find out who she is, and what she meant to my mother,” Riley said firmly. 

“We will do whatever we can to help you,” Scarlet said; Jenny nodded.

“I’m impressed that you snuck into Royal’s office and rifled through his desk. That’s definitely something I would do,” Jenny said as she flipped through her Divination book. 

They were still working through the dream journal unit in Divination. Riley hadn’t dreamed very much lately, but she had two dreams to work with. In one, she dreamed about hidden treasure, and another, she dream about a choppy ocean.

“Apparently I am supposed to have troubles ahead, and my inner self is unsettled,” Riley said skeptically.

Jenny snorted. “There are always troubles ahead, Riley’s that’s kind of the whole point. Okay, I dreamed about locked doors. Apparently I had cut off from an opportunity I used to be able to access, and I am frustrated by this. Interesting, to be sure.”

“Why are so many omens all about ‘troubles’ and ‘doom’ and whatnot?” Riley complained.

“Because what would you rather be warned about? Happy go lucky times or imminent doom?” Jenny pointed out.

Riley sighed. “I guess you’re right.”

“How’s Malfoy’s arm, by the way?” Jenny asked.

“He says it still hurts a lot. Madam Pomfrey says it’s completely healed up, and she doesn’t know what’s wrong,” Riley told her.

Jenny snorted. “She can’t find anything because Malfoy’s lying. C’mon, you can’t tell me you didn’t know that he was probably faking? He’s milking that stupid sling for all it’s got. Open your eyes, Riley, to the truth before you.”

“You sound like Trelawney.” Riley grumbled.

“Doesn’t mean I’m not right,” Jenny pointed out. 

“At least I don’t have to watch Quidditch practices for the moment. Draco goes and watches them, since he’s the Seeker, but I don’t have to go to support him. It’s so… freeing,” Riley said happily. 

“I didn’t realize you hated Quidditch so much,” Jenny said, uncomfortable.

“Oh, I really, really do. I’m not like you. You can at least appreciate the bloodbath part of the sport. I’d rather be doing just about anything else. It seems so unfair, too. Why is the Snitch worth the equivalent of fifteen goals? That seems very unfair. Especially since the game usually ends before the either party gets more than ten goals. You’d have to have a team of extremely talented Chasers, Beaters, and a Keeper to beat a team that just had one really good Seeker. There’s no balance. Even it being worth one hundred points is excessive. Fifty points would be far more reasonable,” Riley complained.

“Oh, so you’re very serious about this whole ‘hating Quidditch’ thing. I didn’t think you cared that much about it. I mean, I’d rather have a game with just the Beaters trying to beat each other with the Bludgers. But I didn’t realize you had this level of dislike. This has to be at least partially fueled by your weird Malfoy relationship.” Jenny peered at her.

“He insisted on my full participation! I can’t stand it. It’s all Quidditch, all the time, except when it’s about Harry Potter! We’re all lucky I came out of this without hating Harry,” Riley moaned.

Professor Trelawney swished by their table. “How are we doing? Any predictions of misfortune?”

“I have trouble in my near future,” Riley grumbled.

“I’m missing out on opportunities,” Jenny added.

Professor Trelawney nodded. “Good work, Ms. Jones, Ms. Dracula. Beware, Ms. Dracula. There is a secret that you might not wish to uncover.”

Riley sighed. “Yes, Professor.”

Trelawney glided away. “Ugh, so creepy,” Riley complained.

“Yes, that’s the best part about her. I’m so jealous. Why couldn’t she have given me a cryptic yet ultimately melancholy prediction? It’s so unfair,” Jenny said wistfully.

Riley resisted the urge to throw her dream journal at Jenny. 

“Potter walks through the halls like he owns the place. You know, we wouldn’t even have dementors at Hogwarts if it weren’t for Potter. They’re here to protect him from Sirius Black. Black wants to hunt Potter down and kill him, just like he got rid of his parents. Apparently Black was working for You Know Who the entire time. Bet Potter doesn’t know that. I tried to ask him in Potions when I got out of the hospital, and he gaped at me like an overgrown fish. If my parents’ best friend betray them, I’d want to hunt him down and kill him. Potter just strides about like he doesn’t have a care in the world,” Draco ranted in the Slytherin Common Room that evening.

Riley pretended to listen, while actually trying to go to sleep. She glanced over and Vincent and Gregory, who stared into the fire. They appeared mesmerized. Riley looked back over at Draco, who hadn’t stopped ranting. He strode back and forth. Riley looked past him to see the other Slytherins, especially the first and second years, watching him with rapt attention.   
She envisioned a stage in her mind. Draco, the lead, pacing across the stage. His fellow Slytherins, the audience, cheering. Harry Potter, the unseen villain, looming above them. Riley, sitting in the back and taking a nap while the play goes on. She stifled a snort.

Draco sat down, cradling his sling gingerly. Riley recalled Jenny’s words. She likely had the right of it. Draco had probably completely healed that first day in the hospital wing. Riley felt a sting of disappointment. Draco’s penchant for drama had lead him to outright falsehoods. She couldn’t go to a teacher about his ruse. For one, no one would believe her. For another, she’d be betraying her entire House and would likely lose any goodwill she had cultivated over the past two years. Riley closed her eyes.

“I know that Harry Potter can be very frustrating. But you must focus on your own recovery. You want to be ready for your first match against Gryffindor, right?” Riley said lightly.

Draco grinned savagely. “Oh, that won’t be for a while. I’ve talked to Professor Snape already. He said he’d take care of it.”

Riley hoped that Draco hadn’t manipulated Professor Snape. Professor Snape would do whatever it took to protect the interests of Slytherin house. She just hoped he knew what he was doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This weeks chapter! Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Jenny Finds Out"


	7. In Which Jenny Finds Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets about werewolves are exposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

_Dear Jeremy,_

_School is going very well. I enjoy Divination especially. Our current unit is dream journals. I like trying to interpret what they might be telling me. Then again, it’s usually misfortune or doom. Not exactly inspiring. Potions is going as well as it can, and I’m enjoying Transfiguration as usual. I am also on the hunt for the truth. I am growing more and more certain that Professor Lupin is a werewolf. I just need proof. I will try spying on him during the week before the full moon, to see if I can catch him drinking Wolfsbane. I know I will be proven correct! How is everything in Romania? You must be back from your tour of Europe, correct? What subjects are you focusing on? Are you and Edward getting along, or have you been fighting? I look forward to Christmas!_

_Jenny_

_Dear Jenny,_

_Your classes, as always, sound fascinating. I can’t wait to hear more about it when you come home for Christmas. Edward and I are getting along fine, currently. I’m actually enjoying our biology class. Your father let me dissect a frog. It was fascinating. Not as fascinating as magic, I’m sure, but fascinating enough. I hope you find your proof about Lupin. It sounds like you may be right. I can’t wait to hear all about it in your next letter, or at Christmas. See you in just a few months!_

_Jeremy_

Jenny smiled fondly at Jeremy’s letter and stowed it away in her desk. She stroked Sable’s beautiful black feathers with one finger. Sable cawed. Jenny giggled. She opened the window again, and Sable flew off to roost with the owls. Jenny sat back in her seat and grinned. She had a plan for Lupin, and she knew just how to execute it. She pulled out her parchment, looked over her notes, and prepared her mind for the challenge ahead. 

Jenny crept along the corridor. She peered around a corner. Most of the older students had left for Hogsmeade already. Jenny had waved off Scarlet and Riley, who shrugged and left without her. She turned a corner and saw Professor Snape walking down the hallway, apparently from Lupin’s office. Jenny hid behind a suit of armor. 

Her suspicions heightened, she cast a Disillusionment charm and moved quietly down the hallway. She stopped when she reached Lupin’s open door. She peek in her head, careful to move her body as quietly as possible. She almost gasped at what she saw.

Harry Potter sat across from Professor Lupin, eyeing the goblet suspiciously. Jenny watched as Lupin gulped down a potion that was clearly Wolfsbane. She felt a thrill at her discovery. She watched as Lupin set the goblet down, and dismissed Harry. Jenny pulled her head out of the door and stayed frozen against the wall as Harry walked straight past her. Jenny peeked back in, to see Lupin bury his head in his hands.

Jenny turned and left. She removed the Disillusionment Charm when she didn’t see anyone looking, and ran to Hogsmeade. Professor McGonagall gave her a suspicious look when she saw how late Jenny was leaving. 

“Sorry Professor. I left my money back in Gryffindor Tower. Can’t exactly buy sweets with no money, can you?” Jenny said jovially.

McGonagall sniffed. “This is not exactly a good time to be flirting with the boundaries of our rules. The dementors are not as lenient as I am.”

“Yes, Professor,” Jenny said solemnly. 

She raced down the lane to Hogsmeade, and went to find Scarlet and Riley. 

“So, what did you see?” Riley asked.

“He was definitely drinking Wolfsbane Potion. I am completely sure of it,” Jenny said as she looked through all of the delicious treats available.

“Well, are you sure it wasn’t a different potion that just looks very similar?” Riley suggested.

“Wolfsbane is very distinctive. It’s one of the only potions that smokes like that. The goblet kept smoking, even after he finished it. How many potions do that?” Jenny said fiercely.

“None, as far as I know,” Scarlet said.

“Besides, I saw Snape leaving his office just before I walked by. I hate to admit it, but Snape is one of very few people that I know who can brew a potion that complicated. It’s likely that Dumbledore knows about him, then. I wonder how long he’s been a werewolf,” Jenny said.

“Well, why don’t we do something a bit more fun and go to Zonko’s? Riley suggested.

Jenny sighed. “Sure, sure. We’ll go to Zonko’s if you like.”

After Jenny loaded up on joke toys and sweets, they stopped at the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer. Jenny relayed the entire story in detail. Scarlet and Riley seemed somewhat skeptical.

“Why would Lupin so openly drink a potion like that in front of Harry Potter? Wouldn’t he be worried Harry would figure it out?” Riley said.

“I understand your skepticism, but I assure you, Harry is not the most observant person. In fact, I would wager that Harry is one of the least observant people I have ever met. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know that Ginny would lay her life down for him if he just said the word. I really hope Hermione talks to her. If Ginny wants to get with Harry, she needs to find herself and stop pining after him. He’ll never notice her that way,” Jenny rambled.

“You’re getting off topic,” Scarlet said.

“Sorry, sorry. My point is, there’s no way Harry would know a think about Wolfsbane or how it works. They don’t even talk about it in Potions until sixth or seventh year,” Jenny said.

“That is what my textbook seems to indicate. You saw Snape, too?” Scarlet clarified. 

Jenny took another gulp of butterbeer. “I am completely positive. I had to hide so he wouldn’t bump into me.”

Riley sighed dreamily. “Jenny is probably right. If anyone could brew Wolfsbane for Lupin, it would be Professor Snape. He’s ever so talented, you know.”

Jenny gagged. “Gross. Have you seen Fred and George?” 

Scarlet frowned. “I think so? I saw them following Ron and Hermione, I think?”

Jenny buried her face in her hands. “Oh no, I’ve released a monster! I told Fred and George that Ron and Hermione were compatible, and they must be spying on them. They’re probably whispering to themselves like ‘Oooh ickle Ronniekins on his first date with Hermione’ and rubbish like that. I’m sorry. I have to find them. I’ll be back.”

She jumped up and ran out of the Three Broomsticks in pursuit of Fred and George. She found them crouched behind a hedge, giggling to themselves as Ron and Hermione left one of the shops. She snuck up behind them and grabbed their ears.

“What do you two idiots think you’re doing?” she hissed.

“Ow, ow! Let go!” they whined.

“What part of ‘leave them alone’ did you not understand? Do I need to write it down for you?” she said, voice rising. 

Hermione and Ron stopped and turned. Jenny straightened up, still holding the twins’s ears. She smiled awkwardly.

“Hello, Ron, Hermione! I’m just yelling at two miscreants! Carry on!” she yelled.

Ron and Hermione edged away, looking confused. Jenny let go of their ears, and they sprawled into the dirt. She stood over them with her hands on her hips. They looked up at her sheepishly.

“We just wanted to see what they would do if Harry wasn’t around,” Fred said.

“We know they’re not on a date, but they’re almost always with Harry. This is a rare opportunity,” George added.

“Stay. out. of. their. love. lives.” Jenny enunciated carefully.

“Yes, Jenny,” they chorused.

“Good. Now go drop a dungbomb on Malfoy or something. Maybe he’ll accidentally rip off his bandages in a panic.” Jenny waved them off.

“Good idea Jenny,” George said as they scurried away.

Jenny brushed off her hands and returned to the pub. “I took care of that little problem,” she told Scarlet and Riley when she sat down.

“What did you do to them?” Riley asked, horrified.

“I just scolded them. Don’t worry so much, Riley, it will give you wrinkles,” Jenny said calmly; Riley whipped a compact out of her robes and checked her face, brow crinkling. 

Right after their return from Hogsmeade, Jenny brewed her own Wolfsbane Potion. The full moon rose again tonight. She slipped out of Gryffindor Tower at dusk, wearing a Disillusionment Charm. The dementors seemed not to notice her. She tried to ignore the chill they sent over her body. 

Jenny shook out her coat as the last of her transformation faded. She moved quietly through the forest, searching for any trace of Lupin. She found none. He must be staying indoors. Jenny roamed the forest a bit, and then came back to sleep near her clothing.

When dawn rose the next morning, Jenny dressed and ran back to Hogwarts, just in time for breakfast again. Perhaps she should figure out how to bring an alarm clock into the woods. She slipped into her usual seat between Fred and George. Jenny glanced up at the high table and noted Professor Lupin’s absence.

She looked over at Harry, who looked rather depressed. “He seems a bit low.”

Fred nodded. “He didn’t get permission from his bloody relatives to let him go to Hogsmeade. He asked McGonagall yesterday, but she wouldn’t let him.”

“That sounds about right. You should have seen the nasty look she gave me yesterday when I ran out late to Hogsmeade. I thought would force me to go back to the castle. I think the dementors are putting everyone on edge,” Jenny said.

“No doubt about it. There have been a lot of unconfirmed sightings of Black, and it seems like he’s slowly making his way to Hogwarts. Rumor is, he’s going to make a go at Harry,” George said quietly.

“Interesting. I wonder how he escaped Azkaban,” Jenny said.

“Well, he’s a dark wizard, isn’t he? He probably used some sort of dark magic to escape,” Fred said.

“Yes, but I’m sure there are loads of dark wizards worse than him in there. Why is Black the only one who’s escaped?” Jenny drank some pumpkin juice.

“Good point. Well, it won’t matter anyhow. I’m pretty sure that if he gets caught, he’ll get the Dementor’s Kiss. He won’t be escaping any prison cells after that,” George whispered.

“How gruesome. Inhumane, if you ask me,” Jenny murmured.

“I can’t say I disagree. So far they haven’t come up with any better way to contain dark wizards than the dementors,” Fred said.

“I think that just demonstrates how uninterested in progress wizards are. I bet that if they put their minds to it, they could come up with something that could hold wizards just as well without torturing them until they died. Besides, what about lower level offenders? They dumped Hagrid there for a month, with almost no evidence! I just hope they haven’t left anyone else innocent there to rot,” Jenny said furiously.

“Good luck convincing the Ministry to change their ways. They still have a lot of outdated rules,” George pointed out. 

“Don’t even get me started on their outdated rules,” Jenny snarled.

“It’s Halloween! Why don’t we focus on the fact that we’re going to have a delicious feast tonight! I can’t wait to eat my fill of pumpkin pie and all of the wonderful meat and cheese I can possibly fit in my body,” Fred said, changing the subject.

“Are you going to dress up, Jenny?” George asked.

“Yes. I’m going as the Minister of Magic,” Jenny said nastily. 

“Are you got to make yourself a fake belly?” Fred wondered.

“Sure, I will. I’ll also make sure to spout complete nonsense that no one will listen too.”

Jenny always enjoyed the Halloween Feast. As usual, she put herself fully into her costumes. She even transfigured a hat that looked like the one she had seen Fudge wear in the Daily Prophet. Fred and George dressed as skeletons. They all dug into the delicious feast, chowing down on all of the wonderful desserts, meats, and various starches and vegetables. 

After the meal ended, she followed Fred and George up to Gryffindor Tower. They stopped short as they reached a crowd of Gryffindors, stopping up the entrance. Jenny climbed onto Fred’s shoulders to get a good look.

“What do you see?” Fred asked.

Jenny’s eyes widened. “The Fat Lady’s Portrait has been slashed. She’s missing.”

Fred nearly dropped her. “What!”

“Let me down and I’ll explain,” Jenny said peevishly. 

George carefully helped Jenny down off of Fred. “So, what did you say about the portrait?”

“It looks like somebody took a knife to it,” Jenny whispered.

Moments later, Dumbledore appeared, and inspected the portrait. Peeves popped up, and told Dumbledore the terrifying truth: Sirius Black had attacked the Fat Lady’s portrait in an attempt to break into Gryffindor Tower.

Students from all Houses were ushered down into the Great Hall. Dumbledore conjured a multitude of purple sleeping bags. Percy called for everyone to go to bed, and Jenny snatched a sleeping bag. Fred and George frowned at her.

“Sorry, boys, but I’m going to spend some time with people I don’t eat every meal with,” Jenny said, before moving off to find Scarlet and Riley. 

They gathered together and slipped into their sleeping bags. Scarlet and Riley seemed more happy than afraid, in Jenny’s estimation. Then again, they hadn’t seen the Fat Lady’s portrait.

“Did Black really attack her portrait with a knife?” Riley asked quietly.

“Yes. I got a good look. It’s no wonder she went running. I wouldn’t stay in my portrait if some madman was trying to rip it to shreds. I wonder what he was looking for? He had to know everyone would be in the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast,” Jenny whispered.

“Well, he could have been trying to lie in wait, maybe hide in Harry’s dorm?” Scarlet suggested. 

“It just doesn’t seem like a very smart plan. If there’s anything to be said for Sirius Black, it’s that he doesn’t appear to be stupid. He couldn’t of been stupid if he escaped from Azkaban, could he?” Jenny replied.

“I dunno. I’m just glad we’re together. It’s kind of like a sleepover, isn’t it?” Riley said excitedly.

“Yeah, except the teachers are searching the castle for a madman at large, and we’re sharing our sleepover with hundreds of other students,” Jenny said sardonically.

“Don’t be such a downer, Jenny. It could have been worse, you know. Nobody was hurt. I’m sure they’ll fix the Fat Lady’s portrait up and everything will be back to normal soon,” Scarlet said calmly.

“How did he get onto the grounds, though? And the dementors? It must be the same way he got out of Azkaban. I have so many questions,” Jenny said.

“You always have lots of questions. We should probably go to sleep,” Scarlet said.

Jenny lay awake for a while longer, trying to pick up any voices, from other students or teachers. They managed to keep from passing close enough to her. Did they know what an eavesdropper she was? Jenny frowned in frustration. It seemed she would not get her answers tonight.

The next day, the school buzzed with rumors and gossip. Everyone had a pet theory on how Sirius Black had managed to escape the castle. Jenny realized that teachers and Percy were following Harry around wherever he went. She nearly snorted at the sight. She could see the annoyance on Harry’s face. She thought he might bolt at any moment. She began to perk up. The Quidditch match was close at hand. Jenny couldn’t wait. 

Less than two weeks later, Gryffindor received shocking news: they would not play Slytherin in the match. Madam Hooch had rearranged the entire schedule. Each Gryffindor match would be rotated one spot. Now they would play Hufflepuff in their first game instead. They would play Ravenclaw in the spring, and then their final match would be against Slytherin. Jenny boiled with rage. She wanted to rip the bandages off of Malfoy’s arm and prove that he was a lying git. Unfortunately, Riley refused to go along with her plan.

“I’m sorry, I won’t let you do that. As much as I think you’re right, we don’t actually have any proof that he isn’t injured. If you’re wrong, it could be disastrous for you. He might be able to get you expelled for attacking him, or at least in detention. You don’t want that, do you?” Riley said calmly.

“What I want to do is rip his bandages off of his arm and shove them down his throat until he chokes on them. He’s absolute and total scum. I loathe him with every part of my being. I think I’ll have to start avoiding him in the hallways, because if I don’t, I’ll destroy him. I don’t even care that you have a little crush on him,” Jenny snarled.

“Please don’t bring that up. It’s extremely embarrassing. It’s not like I did it on purpose. He’s actually very attractive, you know,” Riley protested.

“It’s hard to tell when he has his nose in the air all of the time,” Jenny said coldly.

“Yes, I agree, this is a very underhanded move, but might I remind you: underhanded is a very Slytherin trait. You’re underhanded on occasion, aren’t you?” Riley pointed out.

“Sure, I am, but that is so not the point! I can’t believe you’re defending him after he did something so despicable. How am I supposed to see Malfoy with a bloody nose this winter if I don’t seem him get a bludger to the face? I guess I’ll just have to sock him. I’ll take the detention if I have to.” Jenny said firmly.

“I am begging you, please don’t start a fight with my House! Look, I know the Gryffindor/Slytherin match up always starts off the year, but Hufflepuff is actually a pretty good team! Haven’t you always said that Hufflepuff is your bitterest rival, anyways? Wouldn’t you like to see Hufflepuff defeated this time?” Riley pleaded.

Jenny deflated. “Fine, fine. I feel so disappointed. At least it’s not Ravenclaw. I have absolutely no beef against them. It would have been a serious downer if they had to play Ravenclaw instead.”

“I’m glad you two have made up about that, now can we please get to work? Our homework isn’t going to finish itself,” Scarlet broke in.

“Sorry Scarlet,” Riley and Jenny said in unison.

Unfortunately, Jenny’s month only got worse from there. One day, she walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts to see not Lupin, but Snape. He sneered at the fourth years with unholy glee. Jenny groaned. She didn’t even have Riley as a Slytherin deflection shield. She was doomed for this class. Snape would probably strangle her or something.

Jenny sat down in her seat and waited for Snape to begin. She had a horrible, sinking feeling about this. Professor Snape swept up to the front of the room with a savage grin on his face. His body seemed to grow darker and more menacing.

“Now, as I am sure you are all immensely behind on your work, and in terrible need of review, we are going to go over a subject you most certainly did not cover in last years Defense Against the Dark Arts: werewolves.” Snape grinned.

Jenny felt a chill. Although Snape likely intended this as an attack against Lupin somehow, Jenny couldn’t help but feel the light shining on her. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She resisted the urge to raise her hand. Though she knew her knowledge had to be more expansive than any other student in this room, and Snape himself, she had no interest in revealing that to him.

Snape began writing down students’ answers on the board. He seemed to glow with oily triumph. Jenny began to sweat. She felt faint tremors through her body. She resisted the urge to vomit. She stared at her desk, silent, until she could no longer hide.

“Ms. Jones, you have been disappointingly silent this entire lesson. Do you truly know nothing about werewolves? I would have though you were slightly smarter than that,” Snape said mockingly.

Jenny looked up at the board, “Werewolves in their human form may exhibit irritability both before and after the full moon, even towards their close friends.”

“While technically true, this is not always the case. Can anyone tell me what the current treatment for werewolves is?” Snape asked the room.

The room remained dead silent. Snape sighed in apparent disappointment. Jenny continue to stare at her desk. Eventually, Snape released the tension.

“The answer is Wolfsbane. You can think of it as a sort of… combination Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. Please complete an essay on the ingredients in Wolfsbane and how it mitigates the serious symptoms of lycanthropy,” Snape said coldly.

The students broke into angry whispers. Thankfully, everyone managed to keep their mouths shut. They sat in silence as Snape berated them on their lack of knowledge until the class ended. Jenny bolted from the classroom as soon as the clock struck the hour, ignoring Snape’s irate calls. She ran to a secluded nook and hid herself inside. She shivered in fear, the emotions she had held in during her class finally pouring out. Jenny did manage not to cry, but she couldn’t deny that he had scared her, deeply. 

Jenny eventually managed to pull herself out of the nook. Thankfully, Defense Against was the last class of the day, and so she was only a few minutes late to the library. Jenny showed up late, taking in Scarlet’s and Riley’s shocked faces when they saw her. She sat down without a word.

“What happened, Jenny?” Scarlet asked cautiously.

“Well, if I wasn’t sure that Lupin was a werwolf before, I’m pretty sure he is now. Snape just spent the entire class grilling us about werewolves. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way in my life. I’m disgusted with myself. I’ve never been afraid of Snape before. But this… I couldn’t bear to even look up from my desk. You wouldn’t have recognized me,” Jenny said, her voice barely audible.

“Oh, no! Jenny, are you okay?” Scarlet said her hands stretching towards her.

Riley frowned. “I don’t understand why he would do this.”

“Stop trying to justify it, Riley! He’s a cold hearted bastard who wants to screw over the only good Defense professor we’ve ever had! Why can’t you understand this?” Jenny snapped.

Riley flinched back as if Jenny had struck her. “That’s not what I was trying to do. Jenny, I’m sorry. He’s definitely stepped over the line. He should know better. With all of the discrimination werwolves get.. there’s no good reason to out Lupin. Knowing he could accidentally out you too… really upsets me.”

Jenny gave a weak laugh. “Guess what homework assignment he gave us? He wanted us to list the properties and effects of Wolfsbane. We all know that’s an assignment I’d ace in no time. He said it’s also a Potions assignment, so I don’t think I can get out of it. Riley, I know this is the first time I’ve ever asked you for homework help, but could you write the effects portion of my Wolfsbane essay for me? If I try to make it less accurate, it won’t seem authentic. You know just enough to be equivalent to me if I hadn’t experienced Wolfsbane firsthand, and was looking it up in the book.”

Riley giggled. “Sure. I don’t mind. You’ll have to copy my answers so it’s in your handwriting. It’s the least I can do after my soulmate almost exposed you to your classmates.”

“Riley, I care about you very deeply. Please understand that when I say this, it’s out of love. You have terrible taste in men,” Jenny said, deadpan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Thanksgiving treat! Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Riley Has a Flashback".


	8. In Which Riley Has A Flashback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley watches two Quidditch matches. Draco continues to mock Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry! I got the chapter title wrong for this one. I'll go back and correct it. Riley POV

Riley wrapped her Slytherin scarf tightly around her neck, to block out the cold wind. She did not appreciate having to watch a Quidditch match in this weather. Draco opened an enormous umbrella and handed it to Vincent.

“Hold this over my head, please,” he said haughtily.

Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She pulled out her own umbrella. Vincent and Gregory stood underneath Draco’s umbrella. She watched hopelessly as they laughed and pointed at Harry Potter as they walked by. They slipped into their spots in the stands. Draco seemed especially smug when the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff team trudged onto the field.

“I bet Potter won’t be able to see a thing in this rain! He’ll have a hard time catching the Snitch in this weather! It’s a good thing I was injured, or Slytherin would have had to play in this awful weather,” Draco sneered.

“How is your arm?” Riley said coolly.

“It’s getting better, but it’s still not in tip top shape. I doubt I’ll be able to play until break is over,” Draco said sadly.

“Hmmm.” Riley turned her attention to the stands.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything to see. The rain pounded down so heavily that you could barely see the players. The Seekers moved listlessly around the field, looking for that hint of gold. Riley shivered at the unpleasant temperature. Despite her umbrella, she felt the rain soaking her robes. 

The players took a brief recess before entering the air again. Riley watched as the Chasers nearly dropped the Quaffle multiple times due to the slippery texture, and how the Bludgers didn’t seem to be hitting anything. Suddenly, Diggory dived towards the ground. Harry Potter followed him.

Without any warning, a hoard of dementors entered the Quidditch field. A great chill swept over the crowd. Riley barely registered Harry falling off of his broom before her vision went dark.

_“You will not turn him from me, witch!”_

_“Stay away from her!"_

_“Do not interfere!"_

_"Clara, run!”_

_“Mother, no!”_

_“Avada Kedavra!”_

_“No! No!"_

_“Father, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”_

_Tears fell down her cheeks. Riley felt herself shrinking, down, down, down, until she was nothing…_

“…Riley! Riley! Can you hear me? Are you alright? Riley, answer me!” Draco shouted into her face.

Riley blinked woozily. “What’s going on? What happened?” 

Draco grimaced. “You went all quiet, and then you started shaking. I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn’t respond. You missed it. Potter fell off of his broom right after Diggory caught the Snitch. Dumbledore had to magic him so he didn’t splat on the ground. His broom blew into the Whomping Willow. It got smashed to bits! Potter might even lose his spot on the team! If I’d known this was going to happen, I would’ve have had Crabbe and Goyle take pictures!”

Riley glared at him. “That isn’t funny! What if it had been me on that broom? I probably would’ve have fallen off of that broom if I’d been on it!”

Draco shrugged. “But you don’t play Quidditch. I don’t see the problem.”

“Of course you don’t! You don’t even see what’s right in front of your face! Now help me up. I feel bloody awful.” Riley reached towards Gregory.

Gregory and Vincent helped Riley to her feet. Draco stood back awkwardly, holding the umbrella. Most of the students had started moving towards the exits, now that the match had ended. The Gryffindor stands had completely emptied. Riley winced. Jenny would not doubt be furious about this. 

Riley shuffled back to the castle, the process hampered by her shaky knees. Draco stood behind her for once, holding the umbrella up to shield her from the rain. She took a break once they made it through the doorways.

“Do you want to go to the hospital wing? I’d love to go with you. I’d love to see Potter unconscious in there,” Draco offered.

Riley rolled her eyes. “Absolutely not, especially after what you just said. Could you be any more insensitive? Not only did Gryffindor just lose the match, but their best player is out of commission, and he lost his broom. Take me to the Slytherin Common Room before you make an utter prat out of yourself.”

“Suit yourself,” Draco grumbled, and followed behind her.

Vincent and Gregory settled her in a chair right in front of the fire. They even brought her some of their chocolate stash. Riley ate a chocolate frog happily, reveling in the warmth from the fire and the warmth brought to her by the chocolate. Draco hovered nervously nearby. Riley sighed, and gestured him to sit in the chair next to her. Vincent and Gregory found their own seats.

“I’m sorry, Riley. I had no idea that this affected you so much. Why didn’t you tell me?” Draco said gently.

“I was afraid of looking weak. I knew how you thought of Harry Potter, and I didn’t want you to look at me the same way. After the things you said today, some of my concern was warranted. The first thing you said after checking to see if I was okay was derisive remarks about Harry Potter. You just couldn’t resist gloating about him for even five minutes! Do you remember what happened two years ago? When you wouldn’t shut about about Harry Potter? Do you remember when you insulted Hermione last year? These are the things I won’t put up with. You are getting very close to that line again. Trust me, you don’t want to cross it.

“Do you understand, Draco? I don’t care how much you hate him. I have to come first. If you want to make rude imitations about Harry Potter, fine. Just know I won’t support you, and it won’t get me to like you any better. You may win over your Slytherin stooges, but me? I don’t care for that a bit.”

Riley turned away and continued eating her chocolate frog in silence. Draco stared at the fire as well, Vincent and Gregory pulled out some candy and ate it in solidarity with Riley, or because they were hungry.

Riley mulled over the memories that had played in her mind during her first and second encounters with the Dementors. The first time, it had been much shorter, but both times she had heard the name “Clara”. Who was Clara? Was she the one killed by the curse? Who had cast it? Why did Riley feel like crying when she thought about it?

Riley met up with Jenny and Scarlet the next day. Jenny looked absolutely livid, to understate it. Scarlet seemed mostly concerned. 

“I never want to hear my grandfather’s voice in my head again. I’m going to hit something,” Jenny vowed as she snarled at her homework.

“I feel more confused than ever before. I don’t understand what I saw. This time there was crying, and yelling, and shrinking… it was all very disorienting,” Riley said nervously.

“I couldn’t believe how furious Dumbledore was when he walked onto the field. The Dementors practically ran away in fear. I just don’t understand why the Ministry thought it was a good idea to station them here. Black seems nearly immune to them, and they’re a serious safety hazard to the students. It’s extremely irresponsible, if I’m to be honest,” Scarlet said.

“Yes, but when has the Ministry demonstrated itself to be responsible?” Jenny snapped.

“I can’t wait until Christmas. I need some time away from Draco, and I want to find more out about this ‘Clara’ person,” Riley said firmly.

Despite Riley’s threats, Draco resumed his taunting and physical demonstrations as soon as Monday rolled around. She had to admit, as much as it disgusted her, that he did a fairly good impression of falling off of a broom.

“Ron got so mad he chucked a crocodile heart at Malfoy in Potions today,” Jenny told her.

“I’m sure that he deserved it,” Riley said wearily.

“You sound so defeated. You still harboring that crush?” Jenny asked.

“Unfortunately, yes. I don’t understand it. Have I been possessed?” Riley said in disbelief.

“If you mean possessed by hormones, then yes, you are. Any other kinds of possessed, I’d guess probably not. I wouldn’t be too worried about it. Maybe you should try dating someone to get it out of your system. Or at least make out with someone. If Scarlet bothered to look at any girl other than Cho Chang, she’d probably stop being so nervous around her,” Jenny said.

Scarlet flushed. “That’s not true! I’m just shy, and she’s so amazing…”

“You’re a year older than her. You should be more confident in yourself,” Jenny insisted.

“Yes, but she’s a big Quidditch star. I’m actually looking forward to watching the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw match this month because I’ll get to see her play. Did you know that she’s the new Seeker? She’s got the perfect build for it, or so I’m told,” Scarlet rambled.

“Why am I surrounded by lovesick idiots?” Jenny groaned. 

“Maybe you should consider dating,” Riley suggested.

“Yeah, no.” Jenny said sharply.

“Isn’t there anyone you find attractive?” Scarlet asked.

“If there was, it wouldn’t be any of your business, would it?”

“Yes it would! You always butt into our love lives!” Riley protested.

“That’s because you won’t shut up about it!” Jenny insisted.

Riley started listing off names. “Okay, I’m going to start guessing: Is it Lee Jordan? Katie Bell? One of the twins? Edward? Jeremy? Harry Potter?”

“Ew, Harry? Absolutely not.” Jenny wrinkled her nose.

“So it’s one of the other ones, then?” Riley guessed.

“Stop guessing! I won’t talk about this with you,” Jenny moved to flee.

“How about this: you tell us the truth, and we won’t ask who it is. There’s someone you’re interested in, right?” Scarlet said, grinning.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “I have enjoyed many the male form. There have been a few of them I’ve been attracted to, and one or two I might be attracted to now. No, I will not name names. You will just have to guess.”

“Dammitt, Scarlet, why’d you have to make that caveat? Now I really want to know. I wonder if she’s told Jeremy. I bet he would tell me,” Riley said.

“You just can’t leave it alone, can you?” Jenny said, disappointed.

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just, you’ve been making fun of Professor Snape since I first fell for him. I don’t think it’s fair that I can’t do the same to you,” Riley said.

“I’ll be honest. I hadn’t really thought about it much until this year. I was dealing with my terrible family, and Wolfsbane, and there wasn’t much room in my mind for mooning over boys. Now that I have more free time, my mind is relaxed. I notice more things. One of things is how cute boys are,” Jenny admitted.

“I can’t say I relate,” Scarlet said loftily.

“Shut up, Scarlet,” Jenny and Riley whined.

Riley found Draco in the Slytherin Common Room that evening, complaining again. “And Weasley threw that vile heart at me. I could have been seriously injured! I’m sure Potter put him up to it, there’s no way that idiot came up with the idea himself. At least Professor Snape saw what happened. He deducted fifty points for that, which is less than they deserve. Potter’s just afraid of any threat to his hold on his power. It’s pathetic. He’s losing his touch. It won’t be long before he falls to the wayside and better wizards take his place.”

Riley didn’t even bother to stop walking. She continued straight past him and walked to her room. She ignored his confused stare and stomped up the steps. She slammed the door behind her. She was so sick of Draco! Why couldn’t he let go of Harry Potter and notice the person right in front of him? She felt a small stirring of jealously. It seemed that Harry Potter was the person she needed to worry about, not Pansy Parkinson. Riley yelled into her pillow.

On the day of the Hufflepuff match, Riley ditched Draco and went with Jenny and Scarlet instead. Scarlet seemed nervous. She kept bouncing on her heels. Jenny looked bored. When Riley asked her why, she groaned.

“Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw matches are usually the most boring. They always play so nice with each other. The only reason I’m coming is because I’m hoping to watch Ravenclaw destroy Hufflepuff. I need revenge for my team. I have to give Diggory some credit. He did want to hold a rematch. He said it wasn’t sporting,” Jenny grumbled.

“He seems like a nice bloke,” Riley said noncommittally.

“For a Hufflepuff, at least. I hope this match doesn’t last too long. I’m freezing,” Jenny said.

Unlike the previous match, which had been windy and rainy, this match was cold and clear. A thin layer of frost coated the field. Their breaths puffed in the air. Riley looked over to see Jenny in her horrendous scarf and misshapen hat. She had her Gryffindor scarf wound around her hands like a muff. Riley pulled her own hat down further on her head. Scarlet wore just her scarf, completely oblivious to the cold air. 

Scarlet giggled when the Ravenclaw team entered the field. Riley guessed the small one at the end of the line of blue robes was Cho Chang. The players rose into the sky, and the game began.

Riley gaped as she watched Ravenclaw utterly obliterate Hufflepuff in the match. It seemed like the Ravenclaw Quidditch team had taken Hufflepuff’s defeat of Gryffindor as a challenge. Jenny hooted with glee; this was the bloodiest Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff match in twenty years. Cho Chang whipped around the field. Riley heard Scarlet sigh.

After Ravenclaw had a nearly insurmountable lead, the game came to a quick and satisfying close. Cho faked out Diggory, and then went into a truly spectacular dive. She snatched the Snitch and pulled up, thrusting her fist into the air. The stadium erupted in screams.

Scarlet brought her hand to her chest. “Wow, she’s even more spectacular than I thought.”

“That was bloody brilliant. I have to give a hand to the Ravenclaw Beaters. They’re nearly as good as Fred and George. Not to mention their Keeper. I saw several very excellent saves. Of course, it was the Chasers that did most of the heavy lifting,” Jenny said happily. 

“You two are so odd. I admit, it was a pretty good match. Scarlet, are you okay? You’re beet red and you look like you’re about to fall over,” Riley said worriedly.

“I’m in awe,” Scarlet murmured.

“Damn. I think she’s in Cho la la land. We’ll just have to guide her back carefully,” Jenny said.

“But I want to congratulate Cho on the match,” Scarlet said petulantly.

“You can congratulate her at lunch. She’s going to be in the changing rooms for a while, so you might as well go back to the castle with us,” Jenny said firmly.

They managed to coerce Scarlet back to the castle without too much more trouble. She did wander off track a few times, but Jenny stepped in to steer her the right way. Riley glimpsed Draco, Vincent, and Gregory in the crowd, but chose to ignore them. She would see them later anyway. Scarlet finally calmed down by the time they made it the Great Hall. She blushed deeply.

“I don’t know what came over me. I think her dive stole the air from my lungs. I feel lightheaded.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Cool down there, Scarlet.”

They dropped her off at the Ravenclaw table, and Riley and Jenny parted ways. Riley walked over to Slytherin table, where Draco was midway throw another reenactment. Riley stuck her foot out in just the right way so Draco tripped and fell on his bum. Riley leaned over him, smirking.

“You do that too many more times, and you’ll break something,” Riley said calmly.

Draco grinned sheepishly up at her. “You know I have to please the crowds, don’t you? They’re so particular about their entertainment. They get restless.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “They seem fine with the same joke repeated over and over for a week straight. They don’t encourage your creativity.”

Vincent and Gregory helped Draco to his feet. Draco seemed unbothered by Riley’s intervention; he draped an arm over her shoulder and dragged her to sit next to him. Riley let him. She had mostly gotten over his idiotic behavior, and she felt the crocodile heart had been a pretty good punishment. If only it had actually caused him some pain. 

“Are you going home for the holidays?” Riley asked.

“Probably. Father said he has Christmas plans this year, so he would like me to come home. He’s happy my bandages have come off, but he wants the family healer to confirm that I’m alright,” Draco said.

“Jenny and I are definitely going home for the holidays. My father would be very lonely without me there,” said Riley.

“Is Edward the one who made you that awful hat?” Draco said snidely, pointing at her head.

Riley pulled the hat off of her head. “No, that was a gag gift from my cousin. He likes knitting. Jenny has a scarf that he made her. It’s the one she uses to hit people with. I’m sure you’ve seen it.”

Draco grimaced. “She clipped me in the shins once. Is it made of metal?”

“No, Jenny just hits that hard,” Riley explained.

“She’s menace,” Draco grumbled.

“She’d be honored by the compliment,” Riley said, grabbing a piece of chicken. 

“It will be interesting to have Gryffindor verses Slytherin be the final match, instead of the first,” Riley mused.

“It will make the battle for Cup even more exciting! I can’t wait to crush Potter into dust,” Draco exclaimed excitedly.

“You have to know Gryffindor would’ve won the match if the dementors hadn’t shone up. Potter is faster than Diggory. He would have easily beaten him to the Snitch, even Diggory had seen it first,” Riley pointed out.

“Perhaps, but I’m a much better Seeker than Diggory. Slytherin will crush Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor, snatching the Quidditch Cup yet again!” Draco declared.

“If you say so,” Riley said skeptically.

Riley and Jenny spent most of their time before the holidays without Scarlet. Scarlet had buried herself in her studies, fearing her OWLs in the spring. When Jenny pointed out that she was smart enough to get full marks easily, Scarlet moved to a different table and refused to speak to either of them. 

“Why did you have to antagonize her?” Riley complained.

“That wasn’t my intention,” Jenny protested.

“Well, it’s the result you got,” Riley said rudely.

“I don’t think you want to get into a fight about who makes worse choices right now,” Jenny pointed out.

“Are you dragging Draco into this again?” Riley said, indignant.

“I’ll keep doing it as long as you continue to defend him and he continues to act like a complete prat,” Jenny said firmly.

“He’s thirteen! All thirteen year old boys are prats,” Riley said.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “You’re just making excuses for his poor behavior. You don’t see Harry and his friends acting that way. Harry never initiates their conflicts. Malfoy has it out for him, and he’s willing to sacrifice everything else is his pursuit to one up Harry.”

Riley sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I wish he would prioritize me, but he’s blinded by his dislike.”

“Well, if you think about it, he has diversified. He’s targeting Hagrid this year instead.”

“He was injured by that hippogriff.”

“Only because he probably insulted it.”

“Do we really need to rehash this?” Riley said.

Jenny opened her bag of sweets. “Not, really. Just acknowledge that you’re complacent in this situation and we’ll move on.”

“How about you keep your nose out of my business, and I don’t interrogate you on which boys you’re attracted to?” Riley crossed her arms.

“Suit yourself.” Jenny popped a chocoball into her mouth. 

In the days before the holiday break, Riley packed her things carefully in her trunk. She always made sure not to leave anything in the Slytherin dungeons when she went home, as she never knew who would try to break into her room while she was gone. She didn’t trust the other Slytherin girls not to try and sabotage her. Pansy Parkinson seemed to realize Riley and Draco had grown closer, and reacted with extreme jealousy. When Pansy wasn’t fawning over Draco, she shot dark looks towards Riley.

While Riley hadn’t cared about this in the past, her newfound feelings for Draco changed her reactions. She felt possessive towards Draco’s time, and disliked that Pansy shared all her classes with him. Pansy also had more in common with him; they were both rich purebloods. Riley might be wealthy, but she was half-vampire and foreign. Despite her fluency, English was her third language, after Romanian and French. On the other hand, Riley knew that she spoke more languages than Pansy did. 

Before Riley knew it, the term ended. She packed the last of her things, and made her way to the Entrance Hall to wait for Jenny. She fidgeted as she stood in the hallway. A few minutes later, Draco approached her. He looked surprisingly sheepish.

“Hello, Riley. I won’t see you until after the holidays, so I wanted to make sure we talked before we parted ways. I still don’t understand why you won’t sit in my compartment,” Draco said.

“We live in the same dormitory. I see you constantly during the year. I barely get to see Jenny and Scarlet at all,” Riley reminded him patiently.

“Doesn’t Jones live with you full time, now?” Draco pointed out.

“Yes, but that’s really only for 3 months of the year. The rest of the time we’re all at Hogwarts, where she lives at the opposite end of the castle. Besides, she’s only just started living with us this year. Before that, I wouldn’t even see her on breaks,” Riley replied.

“I wish you could visit me during the holidays,” Draco said petulantly.

“I’m not sure your father would like me much. I’m part vampire, remember? I’m pretty sure most purebloods think vampires are abominations,” Riley said coolly.

“You’re exaggerating.”

“No I’m not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the next chapter, "In Which Jenny is Obsessed with Werewolves", coming next week!


	9. In Which Jenny is Obsessed with Werewolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas! Jenny's mind is on werewolves, both old and new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

Jenny waved goodbye to Fred and George, then dragged her trunk down the stairs and into the Entrance Hall. She spotted Riley in the hallway, talking to Draco. Jenny paused and ducked behind a suit of armor. She craned her ears to hear their voices.

“Have a happy Christmas, Riley,” Draco said.

“You too,” Riley replied, smiling gently.

“I’ll be practicing all break so I can beat Potter. Of course, the dementors might take care of him for me.” Draco smirked.

Riley rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll beat him in your match this spring. I’ve got to go now. Say goodbye to Vincent and Gregory for me.” 

“Sure.” Draco watched Riley walk away, blushing lightly.

Jenny snorted. She moved out of her hiding place and walked straight past Malfoy. She made sure to look knowingly at him as she passed. He glared at her. She found Riley outside loading her trunk onto a carriage. Jenny joined her and leapt up into it.

Jenny turned to Riley. “So… how’s your little crush on Malfoy?”

Riley brushed and elbowed her. “Shut up! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” 

Jenny propped her feet up. “Maybe so. However, your face says differently.”

“I have much bigger things to worry about other than whether or not I’m attracted to Draco. I have to find out who Clara is,” Riley said firmly.

Jenny frowned. “Do you think you have a secret older sister or something?”

“I don’t know! I don’t understand why there are no pictures, or really any sign of her. I have to break into my father’s secret vault.” Riley huffed.

“I’m never against break ins as a rule, but are you sure you can’t just ask him? He probably won’t be able to avoid the question if you tell him about your memories,” Jenny suggested.

“If Amora won’t tell me anything, my father won’t either. Clearly it’s some big secret that I’m not allowed to know,” Riley said.

“You’re really hung up on this, aren’t you? Fine, I’ll do whatever I can to help you. I’d love to focus on someone else’s family for once. Besides, I need to take my mind off of Professor Lupin. I’m sure he’s a werewolf, but I can’t confront him until after the holidays. It’s going to drive me insane, I know it.” Jenny pouted.

They spent most of the train ride to Romania working on their homework. Jenny knew that she would want nothing to do with her coursework once they got home, so she forced Riley to join her. She blasted through her Potions essay, and spent a good two hours helping Riley with hers. Her favorite homework had to be Divination. Trelawney told them to keep dream journals over the holidays, and to try to interpret their dreams along the way. Jenny hoped she had some weird ones, because those had the best symbolism.

Jenny stuffed her things into her trunk as the final train pulled into the station in Bucharest. She stepped off of the platform and spotted Edward and Jeremy lurking in the distance. The sun had set just an hour ago. She ran up to them and leapt on Jeremy’s back, looping her arms around his neck.

“Hello, Jenny, how was school?” Jeremy asked, grinning.

Jenny ruffled his hair. “Oh, you know, it’s been great. I’m pretty sure our new Defense teacher is a werewolf, and Riley is crushing on Draco Malfoy.”

“Is that the Malfoy that Edward hates?” Jeremy whispered.

Jenny hopped down. “Yep.”

Riley finally made it to them. “I don’t understand how you can run that fast with a trunk and a bird cage.”

“It’s all about determination,” Jenny said.

Edward sighed. “We should be going. Your father is waiting for you.”

“I can’t wait to see Vova again,” Jenny said as she loaded her trunk and Sable’s bird cage into the car.

As soon as they arrived at the castle, Jenny dragged her things to her room. She opened the window and released Sable, who cawed before disappearing into the night. Jenny pulled out her books for her remaining homework and set her supplies onto her desk. She placed her dream journal on her night table. Moments later, she heard a light knock.

Jenny opened the door to Jeremy’s grinning face. “You hungry?”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “I just unpacked my things. Can’t you wait a minute?”

Jeremy shrugged. “Either way, there’s food.”

Jenny shouldered him out of the way. “Excellent, I’m starving.”

Jenny dug into her food, delighting in each delicious morsel on her plate. By contrast, Riley picked at her food and kept her eyes on the table. Jenny knew that Riley had many questions to ask her father, and was working up the courage. Edward kept his eyes on her for the entire meal. Jeremy peppered Jenny with questions as she dug into her food.

“How sure are you that this bloke is a werewolf?” Jeremy asked.

“Well, I saw him drinking Wolfsbane,” Jenny said drily. 

“Point taken. What are you going to do about it?” Jeremy asked.

“I was planning on just asking him directly.” Jenny waved her hand idly.

Edward cut in. “That seems rather rude. Aren’t werewolves considered second class citizens in Britain? You might put him on the back foot.”

“I suppose. It would make it harder for him to deny it, though. Once he confirmed it, I was figuring I’d tell him I was one too. I haven’t been around another werewolf since last Easter. It would be nice to talk to someone like me again,” Jenny said wistfully.

“You still haven’t heard from Emmett?” Jeremy asked.

“No. I think my mother is burning the letters I send. Hopefully if I send a gift along with it, it will be harder to refuse. I worry about him,” Jenny replied.

Vova looked up from his staring contest with Riley. “Do I need to step in?”

Jenny waved him off. “No, no. You’ll just make the old coot cranky. It’s my problem to handle.”

At the end of dinner, Jenny grabbed her rifle and Jeremy and went out to their targets. Jeremy bounced excitedly. Riley and Edward trailed behind, chatting quietly. When they arrived, Jenny showed Jeremy all of the safety steps. She had him practice several times, until he satisfied her requirements. Next, she set up the rifle on a bale of hay, and checked the sight to make sure it aligned with a target. She waved Jeremy over.

“I’ve set this up to give you the greatest chance of success. If you do exactly what I tell you to, you should at least hit the edge of the target. It helps that this is an extremely accurate rifle. Vova really sprang the big bucks for this. I have to say, I appreciate the belated birthday gift.” Jenny motioned for Jeremy to kneel down behind the rifle. 

“Thank you for agreeing to teach me,” Jeremy said quietly.

Jenny positioned Jeremy’s hands carefully on the rifle. “Eh, I might as well have some good memories attached to the firing of deadly weapons. Besides, no furry animals are harmed by this, which already makes it my favorite firearm memory.”

“So, I look through the scope, right?” Jeremy said.

“Make sure the butt of the rifle makes contact with your shoulder, or you’ll get knocked on your arse.” Jenny eyed his stance critically.

“Can I shoot now?” Jeremy asked.

“Sure, why not?”

Jeremy fired. The bullet hit the edge of the target. Jenny nodded approvingly, and turned back to Jeremy. He grinned up at her, his eyes sparkling. Jenny rolled her eyes and nudged him with her boot. 

“Nice shot, for a rookie. You wanna see how much better I am than you?” Jenny said, smirking.

Jeremy jumped to his feet. “Yes, please.”

Jenny took his place and looked through the scope. She adjusted the rifle a bit, lining up the perfect shot. She breathed deep, and fired off a shot. She fired four more shots, each at a different target, adjusting the gun minutely as she went. When she felt satisfied, Jenny looked up from the scope. She noted Jeremy’s awed expression.

“You see, if it was me vs. Plodding Squats and I had my rifle, he wouldn’t have a chance,” Jenny said smugly.

Riley snorted. “His brain would explode out the back of his head before he could so much as open his mouth to say the Killing Curse.”

“Riley, that’s such a vile thing to say!” Edward said, scandalized.

“Lighten up a bit, Edward,” Jenny said, “He was an evil dark wizard, after all. He’s dead anyways.”

Riley frowned. “I dunno. They never found a body.”

“Maybe he exploded.” Jenny closed her eyes to try and picture it in her head.

“That’s disgusting.” Riley wrinkled her nose.

“Can I practice some more, Jenny?” Jeremy pleaded.

“Fine. But it’s freezing out here, so not too long,” Jenny insisted. 

About an hour later, the four of them returned to the castle. Riley and Edward, who had bundled up in thick winter coats, seemed unaffected by the chilling breeze. Jenny’s teeth chattered. Jeremy skipped the whole way back. He had managed to hit closer to the center the last two times. Jenny felt almost proud of him. 

_Dear Zeke and Comfort,_

_I hope you’re having a happy Christmas! I can’t believe it’s been half a year since I’ve seen you. I miss you a lot. Send my love to the rest of the family. I hope nothing’s changed much since I was last home. School’s the same, except now I’m spending the rest of my time in Romania. It’s cold here, at least in the winter. I’ve been practicing my shooting. I’m still a crack shot, in case you wondered. Miss you lots._

_Love,  
Jenny_

_Dear Emmett,_

_I wish I could see you for Christmas. I don’t know if you’ve gotten any of my other letters. I miss you more every day. Romania’s wonderful, though. Please enjoy the gift I sent. I know it can be hard to keep track of when to do things, so I hope this Muggle watch helps. I prefer this to an analog clock, personally. I’ve also included Jeremy’s gift, which is an extremely ugly knit wolf. Don’t judge him too harshly, he’s not too experienced with knitting animals. According to my research, it’s much easier to make animals by crocheting, anyways. School’s the same. Happy Christmas!_

_Love  
Jenny_

Jenny folded the letters together with her gift and attached them to Sable. Sable flew off into the distance without a sound. Jenny closed her eyes and wished to whoever in the universe would listen. _Please let Emmett receive this, if not any other letter._

Jeremy poked his head in. “Everything alright, Jenny?” 

Jenny turned with a soft smile on her face. “Yes, Jeremy. Just sending a package to my relatives.”

Jeremy nodded. “Of course. Christmas is just around the corner. Have you picked out all of your presents?”

Jenny nodded. “I had them planned for weeks. You’re going to love yours.”

“Can I get a hint?” Jeremy asked slyly.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Nice try.”

“Aw, c’mon. Riley’s being even quieter than usual.” Jeremy pouted.

“Give up now, Jeremy. I’m not telling you a thing,” Jenny insisted.

“That hurts, you know. I thought we were friends.” Jeremy draped himself over her bed. 

“It’s almost sunrise. Go to bed, you loon,” Jenny said insistently, nudging him with her boot.

“Fine.” Jeremy sauntered out of the room, giving her a ridiculous wink before exiting.

Jenny groaned. “How is he somehow worse than Fred and George combined?”

Jenny spent the next few days before Christmas wrapping her gifts and sneaking them down to the Christmas tree during the day. Riley seemed to have the same idea. Before long, the tree had gained a large pile of brightly colored presents. Jenny felt a strange excitement as Christmas drew closer. Never before had she actually looked forward to Christmas. This year she didn’t have to attend bloody hunts or boring family gatherings. Jenny could barely sleep on Christmas Eve; she tossed and turned with anticipation. 

At sundown on December 24th, Jenny’s eyes snapped open with excitement. She ran over to Riley’s room and jumped on the bed. Riley groaned and covered her face. 

“Why are you like this?” she complained.

“C’mon, Riley, it’s Christmas! Or at least, it almost is! Breakfast will be ready in less than an hour,” Jenny exclaimed excitedly.

Riley rolled over and covered her head with her pillow. Jenny rolled her eyes and raced out of the room to bother Jeremy. By the time the chef served breakfast, Jenny had been awake for several hours and had managed to bother everyone. Riley came to breakfast fifteen minutes late, not amused by Jenny’s antics. Jenny had already eaten her fair share and was now trying to steal Jeremy’s food as well. He seemed mostly amused, batting away her fork gently. Vova watched indulgently from the head of the table.  
When everyone finished eating, they moved to the living room, where the Christmas tree had been set weeks ago. Vova selected a few gifts and set them out for everyone. He watched fondly as everyone unwrapped their presents.

Jenny ripped the paper off her package with gusto. When she realized what lay beneath, she nearly burst into tears. Vova had purchased her an exquisite cauldron, which sparkled in the candlelight. She examined it carefully, noting the glistening purity. She looked up at Vova, a lump in her throat.

“Thank you,” she croaked.

Vova smiled gently. “I know you have to use a pewter cauldron for your schoolwork, but I thought you deserved something a little better for brewing your Wolfsbane Potion. I want to make sure you have the best.”

Jenny set the cauldron aside and gave him a hug. “You are so thoughtful. I can’t thank you enough.”

“You’re embarrassing me. Why don’t you see what everyone else got,” Vova said, blushing lightly.

Jenny turned to see Jeremy holding some truly atrociously colored skeins of yarn, with material as soft as silk. He grinned widely. To his left, Edward had buried his head in a book that looked like advanced mathematics. Riley clutched a locket with her mother’s miniature to her chest. 

Jeremy set his yarn aside. “Thank you, Uncle Vlad. Okay, it’s my turn to shock and awe you with your amazing homemade gifts.”

Jeremy handed out several lumpy packages. Riley opened hers first, with a face that demonstrated great trepidation. Jenny snorted when she saw the scarf. Though Jeremy had made it a normal length, the color scheme made her eyes water. Riley glared at Jeremy before setting it aside. Edward tried on the misshapen mittens Jeremy made him, wiggling his hands experimentally. Vova cooed over his oversized slippers. 

Jenny finally opened her own gift. She unfolded a gigantic red sweater, which had a sloppy J on the front. She slipped it over her head; the bottom of the sweater hit her knees, and the sleeves hung long past her hands. Jenny wiggled her arms experimentally. The sleeves flopped.

“I love it. This is almost as good as the scarf you made me!” Jenny said, giving Jeremy a tight hug.

“You’re welcome, Jenny,” Jeremy said warmly.

Riley and Edward passed out their presents next. Edward had given everyone the same gift: an elegant, leather bound journal. Riley had given joke products to Jeremy, a large supply of blood lollipops to Edward, and a beautiful ornament to her father. Jenny laughed when she unwrapped Riley’s gift to her.

“A Book of Nasty Names. Where did you find this?” she said gleefully.

“I special ordered it. Since you’re always coming up with new nicknames for You Know Who, I thought you might find this useful,” Riley replied.

Jenny flipped through it. “Excellent choice, Riley. You did well. Now it’s my turn, everyone. Time to get your minds blown.”

She handed out her gifts and wiggled with anticipation. They each opened their gifts, revealing vials of potions. They all scrutinized their bottles. Jenny clapped her hands and rose to her feet. 

“I’m sure you’re all wondering what I’ve brewed for you,” Jenny said formally. 

“When did you make these?” Riley said skeptically.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? That’s not the point. I’ve brewed you each a different potion, which I think you will each find helpful. Edward, I’ve brewed you a Sleeping Potion. If you ever have trouble getting sleep, just drink this and you’ll drop right off. I think you’ll find it useful for long train rides. Riley, I’ve brewed you a Wit-Sharpening potion, which should help you with studying. Vova, I’ve brewed you a Photographic Developing Potion. If you take a new photograph, you can develop them in this solution, and your pictures will move. I wasn’t sure what to make you Jeremy, but I finally decided on the Babbling solution. You can use this to prank whoever you like by slipping this into someone’s drink. It wears off eventually, but you’ll get to enjoy a couple of hours of your victim spouting nonsense. So, what do you think?” Jenny grinned.

“That’s impressive, Jenny. I knew you were good at Potions from what Riley said, but this is amazing. I can’t wait to use my potion,” Vova said. 

Jenny beamed. “I’m glad you like it.”

“I still think my knitting gifts are better, but you really know me. I can’t wait to slip this into Aunt Amora’s drink the next time I see her. Not that it will make much of a difference as far as her conversational skills are concerned.” Jeremy twirled the potion bottle in his hand. 

Edward groaned. “Please don’t torment my mother.”

“But she makes it so easy, Edward,” Jeremy replied.

Jenny gathered all of her gifts and set them in her room. She kept the sweater on, even after she changed into her button up shirt and cargo pants. Jenny heard a noise from the window and looked up to see Sable sitting on the sill, an envelope clutched in her claw. 

Jenny snatched the envelope from Sable and tore it open. Three letters fell out. She opened the first one and began to read.

_Dear Jennifer,_

_I wish you would refrain from bombarding us with letters constantly. It is getting tiresome. Emmett is far too busy with his lessons to respond to them. Please reduce your correspondence to holidays and birthdays only. If you wanted to talk to us more often, you should not have abandoned our family. Happy Christmas._

_Sincerely,  
Mother_

_Dear Jenny,_

_Mother and Father were not happy when they got your last letter. Emmett saw the package before they could toss it and he recognized your handwriting. Mother and Father had no choice but to give it to him. This is the first time I’ve seen any light in his eyes in months. He’s still kept up with the lessons you taught him. He smiles and jokes easily. But I can tell that his heart isn’t really in it. He misses you. Zeke and I are doing well._

_Everything is basically the same, except Grandfather Conri seems more unhappy. He does complain about you all of the time, especially in front of Emmett. Emmett’s upset on your behalf, but he never says anything. Mother flinches whenever someone says your name. Kelsey seems unusually nervous, and avoids any questions about her boyfriend. Zeke has started bringing his girlfriend around, but I think it will be a bit before she’s let in on the secret. She seems nice. I wish you could have met her._

_I hope you have a Happy Christmas. Mother expressly banned us from sending gifts to you, so sorry about that. Just know we’re always thinking of you._

_Love,  
Comfort_

_Dear Jenny,_

_Thank you for the gifts. I like the watch and wolf. I wish you could have been here for Christmas. I miss you lots. I hope you are having fun in Romania._

_Love,  
Emmett_

Jenny threw her mother’s letter in the trash can and held her siblings’ letters to her chest. Her eyes burned, but Jenny refused to cry. She tucked her letters away in her desk and stared up at the waxing gibbous. The full moon was just days away. 

Jenny pulled out her latest romance novel and began to read, forcing her internal struggles from her mind. She could not change her circumstances or her family, so dwelling had no value. She read until sunrise. Her eyes began to droop, so she stowed her book and blew out the candle on her bedside table. Jenny snuggled into bed and drifted off to sleep. 

Jenny tested her new cauldron the next day with her latest batch of Wolfsbane Potion. She grinned throughout the brewing process. The pristine cauldron made up for the usual bitter taste of Wolfsbane. Jenny downed her gobletful and cleaned out her cauldron with a flick of her wand. 

Jeremy peeked his head in. “Jenny, you have to see this.”   
“What is it?” 

“It’s Edward and Riley. They’re very cute,” Jeremy said slyly.

“I’ll be right there.” Jenny stowed her ingredients and jumped up, following Jeremy into the hallway.

Jeremy led her to the library. They peered around the corner. Riley and Edward sat across from each other at a wooden table, playing cards. Riley giggled, and Edward actually smiled. Jenny resisted the urge to snort.

“He still won’t say anything to her, will he?” Jenny asked. 

“Well, you know. She’s still obsessed with that teacher. Besides, isn’t she currently crushing on that pureblood boy in her House? Malfoy, wasn’t it?” Jeremy whispered.

Jenny nodded. “That’s all very true. Edward’s playing the long game, I guess. It’s probably a smart idea, considering. She’d probably dismiss him out of hand if he confessed to her now. Not to mention, who’s to say he doesn’t get over his infatuation?”

Jeremy raised his eyebrow skeptically. “He told me he had the soulmate zing. That’s just not something you get over.”

“Didn’t your parents have the soulmate zing?” Jenny countered.

Jeremy sighed. “Yes, they did. Believe me, as much as they hate each other, they’re still obsessed. They wouldn’t be living as far apart from each other as possible if they had gotten over their feelings.”

“The soulmate zing seems… so final. I’m glad that witches don’t have that. You’d feel obligated to be with that person, wouldn’t you?” Jenny said. 

Jeremy winced. “I suppose. I don’t think it feels that way to the person. You’re just sort of... drawn to them.”

Jenny tilted her head and frowned. “Are you sure you haven’t felt this soulmate zing? You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”

“That’s just what I understand from other people talking about it. If you really want to know more you should ask Riley’s father. I know he had a soulmate thing with Riley’s mother,” Jeremy said smoothly.

Jenny shook her head. “That’d be too weird. It feels sort of… personal, you know?”

“Don’t you regularly discuss romance novels with explicit material in them with him?” Jeremy said sardonically.

“That’s not the same! We don’t talk about those parts, anyways,” Jenny protested.

“Are you two going to keep whispering in the hallway, or are you actually going to come into the library?” Edward called to them, not looking up from his cards. 

“I don’t know, are you going to let me play cards with you?” Jenny shot back.

“Absolutely not! Jenny, you’re not allowed to play with us!” Riley insisted.

“I don’t want to play with you anyways,” Jenny said rudely. 

“Don’t we have some board games lying around?” Jeremy suggested.

“We could always play Tables,” Edward replied.

“What’s Tables?” Jenny said, confused.

“It’s like backgammon,” Riley said gleefully.

“I’ve never played backgammon,” Jenny said, excited. 

“Great! Let’s play that.” Riley tossed her cards down and went to hunt down the game.

Edward smiled. “I think she’s excited because she’s sure she’ll finally beat you.” 

Jenny grinned. “We’ll see. Jeremy, tell me everything about this game.”

By the time Riley returned, Jeremy had finished giving Jenny the lowdown on Tables. Jenny went into the game feeling fairly confident. Edward won the game, but Jenny came in second. Riley almost flipped the board when she realized Jenny beat her. 

“This is so unfair!” Riley pouted.

“Look, I may be good at sharp-shooting and card games, but I don’t have the social skills that you have. You managed to ensnare the most powerful Slytherin in your House, as well as the Head of Slytherin.” Jenny said soothingly.

“But that’s not as tangible,” Riley complained.

“Yes, but it’s much more practical. What good are my skills in the real world? I’m not going to win over anyone by crushing them in a game. You could flutter your eyelashes and fail miserably, and then people would fall over themselves to help you. You can flirt with people in more than five languages,” Jenny said seriously.

Riley shook her head. “That’s not true.”

“It kind of is,” said Jeremy.

“You have a presence about you, Riley. It makes people like you and want to please you,” Edward added.

“I’ve never noticed that,” Riley said firmly.

“That’s because you’ve never known different,” Jenny insisted.

“Why don’t you just let me win Tables then?” Riley countered.

“Because I’m immune to your charm,” Jenny replied.

“Why don’t we put away the games? We really need to find a non-competitive game that everyone enjoys.” Edward packed Tables away.

“Good luck with that,” Jenny said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost halfway, and I'm almost done with the final chapter of book 5! Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Riley Breaks and Enters".


	10. In Which Riley Breaks and Enters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley snoops through her mother's journals, which only leads to more questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

Riley ran her hands carefully over the tiles, testing their strength. She knew that her father’s secret room was concealed nearby. Riley frowned in concentration. She felt a discrepancy in the stone. Her frown turned into a grin. She had found the secret entrance. Now, she had to figure out how to get in.

Riley visited the corridor several more times in the next two days, trying to figure out the entrance. There appeared to be no secret latch. She tried pulling on the hallway lights and even pressed individual stones in a variety of patterns. Nothing seemed to work. She even tried transforming into a bat. Riley was about to give up in frustration when she realized that she had forgotten her final trick: mist.

Riley waited until nearly midday, setting her alarm so that she would wake up while everyone else slept. She knew that Jenny wouldn’t stir due to the full moon last night. She snuck out of her room and down the stair case as quietly as possible. She slunk down until she found her father’s secret room. Riley shifted into mist and slipped through the cracks.

She coalesced on the other side fully dressed. She found exactly what she had searched for. A book shelf against the far wall overflowed with leather journals. Photographs lined the desk in front of her. Riley rounded the corner to a shocking sight.

The photographs before her depicted her exact likeness. Despite this, her dead mother appeared in most of the pictures. Riley picked up one to look closer. Her twin stood in warm Russian clothing, looking distinctly unimpressed. Riley’s mother had her arm around her shoulder, beaming proudly. Riley’s father stood on her other side, looking quietly pleased. Riley frowned; was this the mysterious Clara? Why did she look exactly like Riley?

Riley moved to the bookshelf. She pulled out one of the journals and flipped it open to a random page.

_5 March 1963_

_I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl only a few days before. She has hair just like mine and her father’s blue eyes. She giggles constantly. Vladimir and I decided to name her Clara. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect daughter. I cannot wait to see how she grows._

Riley switched out the journal for a much later one. She opened the book about three quarters of the way in.

_1 September 1974_

_It makes me weep to send my daughter away to school. We decided Durmstrang was the best, though I did consider Beauxbatons and Hogwarts. I know I made the right choice. We decided to pass her off as a full-blooded witch, which would not have been possible at Beauxbatons, and Hogwarts is farther than I wanted her to be from us. I think she will do well at Durmstrang._

Riley flipped a few pages and read the next entry.

_25 December 1974_

_I am so happy to see Clara again. It feels like it has been years since I watched her board the train. She has talked constantly about her school since we picked her up at the station. I can tell that Vladimir missed her even more than I did. I wish Clara had written us more. I know she must be very busy with her coursework, but I think it would have helped Vladimir._

Riley pulled out the book next to the one she had skimmed.

_30 June 1975_

_Vladimir whisked us off to Japan as soon as Clara returned from Durmstrang. As much as I enjoy the temperate climate, I’m surprised at his choice. I was certain he would have chosen someplace more cloudy. Upon further consideration, he is likely trying to show Clara that he can be as fun as her new school. It seems to be working. Clara loves Japan. I have taken her out a few times during the day, while Vladimir is sleeping. She has bought so many souvenirs that we might have to ship them home._

Riley pulled out the last journal in the bookshelf. This one was dated the year 1981. Riley note that the entries stopped at around June. There were no future entries. Riley flipped to April.

_12 April 1981_

_Clara hasn’t written to me in months. I haven’t heard from her since she moved to London. She didn’t even finish her year at Durmstrang. She told me that she decided to strike out on her own. I am so worried about her. I don’t know what she could possibly be doing that is so important that she can’t write her own mother. I can tell Vladimir is worried sick. My heart breaks to think about it._

Riley frowned. She found the journal for 1979, and there was no mention of her mother’s pregnancy nor her birth. Furthermore, her mother supposedly passed away in childbirth. The journal was definitive proof that her father had lied to her. Her mother had been alive for years after Riley was born. Riley couldn’t understand why there was no mention of her anywhere in her mother’s writing. Nothing about Riley missing the sister she couldn’t remember, nothing at all. Riley shoved the journals back in the shelf.

Riley had more questions than answers. She hated this mysterious Clara for taking over all of her mother’s thoughts. She was furious at her father for his deceptions. She felt more confused than ever. Nothing added up. Riley slumped down in the chair and stared at her family photos.

Riley startled when the clock chimed. She hadn’t noticed how much time had passed. Riley carefully replaced everything how it had been. She slipped back out of the cracks and crept back into her bed. Despite how exhausted she felt, Riley lay wide awake until nightfall. Just as she drifted off to sleep, Jenny burst in through the door.

“Hello, layabout. I’m starving! Vova won’t start breakfast without you, so get moving!” Jenny shouted.

Riley groaned. “Tell him that I’m not hungry.”

“That won’t work, and you know it. Get up, or I’ll drag you by your ankles,” Jenny threatened.

Riley forced herself upright and glared blearily at Jenny. “Why are you the bane of my existence?”

“Because you’re an only child,” Jenny replied cheekily.

“I’m not so sure I am,” Riley grumbled.

“What was that?” Jenny asked suspiciously.

“Nothing! Now get out of my room,” Riley insisted.

Jenny sailed out. “We’re waiting on you!”

Riley slipped on her long sleeve black dress with the peter pan collar and her fluffy black slippers. She trudged down the stairs, making sure to move as slowly as possible to antagonize Jenny. When she arrived, Jenny cheered.

“Finally! You were taking so long I thought I might have to come back up there.”

Riley didn’t even bother to answer. She sunk into her seat and picked at her food. She avoided even looking at her father, despite the fact that she sat right next to him. Edward leaned in to speak to her.

“What’s bothering you, Riley? I’ve never seen you this quiet before,” he whispered.

“I’m fine. Just leave me alone,” Riley said firmly.

“You don’t look fine. In fact, you seem extremely upset. Is there anything I can do?” Edward said insistently.

“You can keep your nose out of my business,” Riley muttered.

Edward frowned, but sat back in his chair. “Well, Jeremy, what are you planning on doing today?”

Jeremy smirked. “Jenny said she’d let me practice with her rifle again.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Under my strict supervision. He won’t be hitting anything other than targets.”

“Hey Jenny, do you want to have an electricity vs. rifle accuracy contest?” Jeremy said challengingly.

“Are you sure you want me to embarrass you that much?” Jenny replied.

“Can I watch? I don’t believe I’ve seen Jenny actually use her rifle,” Riley’s father said.

“Sure, Vova. Just make sure to stay out of range.” Jenny winked at Riley.  
  
“I’d like to come as well,” Edward added suddenly.

“Is Riley coming?” Jenny asked.

“Not as far as I know,” Edward said, confused.

“I’m surprised. You usually aren’t interested in anything that doesn’t involve either Riley or math,” Jeremy said slyly.

“Excuse me, I do have other interests. You just don’t know them.” Edward huffed.

Jenny shrugged. “More of an audience to watch me cream Jeremy. Are you coming, Riley?”

Riley shook her head. “I think I’m going back to sleep. I’m very tired.”

Riley’s father frowned at her. “Are you alright, Riley? You’re paler than usual.”

“I’m just tired. Don’t worry about me. Have fun with Jenny. I’d be a drag,” Riley finished her meal quickly and stood up.

“Alright, Riley. We’ll see you for lunch,” Riley’s father said, concerned.

“I’ll see you all later. Have fun at the target range,” Riley said over her shoulder as she hurried out of the room.

She transformed into a bat and flew up into the rafters. She didn’t want anyone looking for her. Several minutes later, she watched as they walked out of the dining hall and into the foyer. Jenny waved her hands around as she talked excitedly. Jeremy hovered on her left, while Riley’s father walked on her right. Edward trailed somewhat behind them, looking as awkward as ever.

“I like shooting in the dark because it tests my skills. I have a night vision scope, but it’s still a challenge…” Jenny said as she exited the foyer.

Riley waited several minutes after they left the castle to transform back. She sat on the steps, staring at the floor. A light cough caught her attention. Riley looked up to see Omri standing before her. He looked at her knowingly.

“Avoiding your family, Ms. Riley? Bad form,” he said chidingly.

Riley grimaced. “I just can’t deal with them right now. I’ve learned some things that made me question everything. I just… don’t know if I can even trust my father to answer me honestly.”

Omri blinked slowly. “You should never question your father’s sincere desire for your utmost happiness and safety. It might lead him to make less than ideal choices, or keep things from you. However, everything that he has done is a part of his way of looking out for you.”

“That doesn’t help me with my current problem, Omri. How do I get him to tell me the truth?” Riley complained.

“You need to approach him honestly and directly. It might be helpful to decide on what you want from him, and plan around that. Gather any evidence and information you need that might help you. But above all else, show him that you can handle it. Prove to him that you are mature enough, and he will be truthful with you,” Omri stated clearly.

Riley sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I suppose there’s no point in really talking to him until at least Easter. I definitely don’t have enough information.”  
Omri smiled gently. “For what it’s worth, Ms. Riley, I know you can handle the truth. Master Dracula just can’t help but still see you as his little girl.”

“Thank you, Omri. I am actually pretty tired, I wasn’t lying about that.” Riley glanced at her mother’s portrait before walking back to her room.

Riley woke up a few hours later, just in time for lunch. Her previous irritation had all but vanished, replaced by resignation. She even listened to Jenny recount her complete victory over Jeremy. Jeremy didn’t seem bothered by it; he just smiled and dug into his lunch.

“Did you get enough sleep, Riley? Or are you going to be cranky for the rest of the night?” Jenny said, out of the blue.

“I wasn’t cranky this morning, I was just tired. For your information, I had an excellent nap and I’m just fine.” Riley rolled her eyes.

“Uh, huh,” Jenny said skeptically.

“Would you like to play cards in the library?” Edward asked.

“Sure. Jenny’s not allowed to play though. She can only watch,” Riley said firmly.

“No fair! Pass, then. Vova and I can talk about _Ready for Romance_ ,” Jenny said, pouting.

“Oh, that book was excellent! Poor, Jessica, she was just so misunderstood!” Vova exclaimed.

“As much as that sounds fascinating…” Riley dragged Edward and Jeremy to the library.

“Hey! I was interested in hearing about that!” Jeremy complained.  
  
“Have you ever read a single romance novel?” Riley asked skeptically.

Jeremy shook his head. “Not the point!”

“Well, we’re going to play cards now,” Riley insisted.

“Fine, fine. Maybe you’ll tell us what’s actually bothering you,” Jeremy said mutinously.

“Nothing’s bothering me. Everything is fine,” Riley said firmly. 

“You avoided all of us at breakfast. Fine is not the word I would use,” Edward said quietly.

“Traitor! Just because I don’t want to blurt out all of my feelings doesn’t mean I’m hiding something.” Riley pulled out a deck of cards.

“Sure you aren’t.” Jeremy said, taking the cards and shuffling them.

“Fine. But if either of you breathe a word of this to my father, I will never speak to you again,” Riley threatened.

Edward and Jeremy raised their hands placatingly. “We promise we won’t,” they said.

“I’ve been having flashbacks every time I encounter these creatures at school. I keep hearing the name Clara. I found a mention of her in a letter my mother sent to you father, Edward, which was dated later than she supposedly died. I was suspicious, so I searched for my father’s secret hiding place. I found it, as well as her diaries. There is no mention of my birth in her journals, and there are two journals dated after her death date. It doesn’t make any sense. She called Clara her daughter. There are pictures of her in my father’s hidden study. She looks exactly like me. I have some mysterious possible older sister, and I don’t know what to do. When I tried asking all of the adults earlier this year, they turned me down. Even Amora! All I know is that Clara went to Durmstrang.” Riley burst out.

Jeremy hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard the name, but that just means the adults were careful.”

“I think we were both too young to remember this girl,” Edward added.

“I just wish my father would be honest with me! What is so terrible about this Clara person that he refuses to speak her name? Did she die horribly? Did she kill my mother? I’m so tired of secrets!” Riley shouted, frustrated.

“Well, I think you need to find out more if you want answers. Perhaps your school has some information on Durmstrang? Are there any spells or potions that can help you regain your memory? Perhaps there’s something in your subconscious that you remember about Clara,” Edward suggested.

“Besides, the more information you have, the harder it will be for your father to deny it,” Jeremy said.

“Thank you both. I’ll keep those suggestions in mind. Now, why don’t we play some gin-rummy?” Riley suggested brightly. 

Riley’s father found her later that night, after Jeremy and Edward got bored of cards. Riley sat in the library, staring out the window thoughtfully. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the forest near their castle. Riley felt relaxed for the first time in weeks. She startled when she heard a knock.

She turned to see her father standing awkwardly in the doorway. Jenny had not come with him. Riley watched him carefully, waiting for his response. He shuffled in.

“How are you, my dear? You’ve been awfully quiet lately. And you seem to be avoiding me. Is something wrong?” he asked as he sat down in the armchair next to her.

Riley shifted awkwardly. “I’ve just been tired.”

Her father sighed. “I can tell you’re not telling me the truth. Are you upset with me?”

Riley faced him directly. “I want to know more about Mother. You have refused to tell me anything new about her in years. I not knowing anything about her.”

Riley’s father blinked. “I didn’t realized how upset you were about it. I’ll admit, a part of me avoids talking about her because it upsets me. It’s… painful. But, I shouldn’t let my personal feelings stop me from telling you about your mother.”

“So tell me.” Riley stared him directly in the eye.

“Your mother was very brave, and very strong. She was a talented witch, although she mainly preferred mundane spells. She loved you very much. She used to talk to you, when she was pregnant with you. Sometimes she would even sing,” he said wistfully.

“Was she ever pregnant before me?” Riley blurted.

Riley’s father twitched. “No. She never had any miscarriages. You were the only child we were blessed with.”

Riley frowned. She could tell that her father told the truth, but he was clearly hiding something. The pieces didn’t fit. Clara remained a mystery. Her father tilted his head.

“What brought this on, Riley? Why would you think your mother had been pregnant before?” he asked.

“Well, it just seems odd. I know that vampires usually only have one child, but I would think that a witch/vampire union would produce more children. Besides, if I was so deadly to her, I thought she might have had a miscarriage before,” Riley mused.

“Riley, don’t think about it like that. There were… unforeseen complications. Neither of us expected her labor to be so complicated. The vampire physician had no experience with witches. Perhaps if we had gone to a wizard maternity ward…” Riley’s father’s eyes grew distant.

Riley clenched her jaw. Her father had told her a mix of lies and truth, to the point where Riley couldn’t pick out which was which. She wanted to scream at him to be honest with her. However, she knew losing her temper wouldn’t get her anywhere. Riley sighed.

“Thank you for telling me, Father. It’s almost sunrise. I’m quite tired, so I’ll head to bed now,” Riley said calmly.

Riley’s father gave her a warm hug. “You’re going back so soon. We should spend tomorrow together, don’t you think?”

“Of course, Father.” Riley hugged him back.

She turned so he couldn’t see her face and walked quickly to her room. She face planted onto her bed and screamed into her pillow. Why was it so hard to get anything out of her father? How was she supposed to act like everything was fine when she was so upset? Riley tossed and turned for over an hour before she finally fell asleep.

The following day, her father entertained her with his latest experiments. He actually managed to take Riley’s mind off of her frustrations. He had worked on several projects while Riley was at Hogwarts. He showed her all of them excitedly.

“I was actually able to acquire a very rare frog from Jeremy’s father. It’s native to Brazil, you know. It was very hard to construct an appropriate environment for it. However, I’ve learned some very interesting facts about its toxins. Did you know that this frog is dangerous to vampires as well as mortals? It won’t kills us, but I was in a coma for 48 hours after I tested it. It might actually kill you, Riley, so you should probably stay away from it,” Riley’s father said, showing Riley a small frog.

Riley frowned. “You really shouldn’t test these things on yourself. You could’ve been seriously hurt. I’m sure you scared Omri out of his skin.”

Riley’s father laughed. “Hardly. Omri is unflappable. Besides, he’s seen me do much worse things than this.”

“Please tell me you at least tested it on a sample first,” Riley pleaded.

“Of course! When I noticed the instability in the microscopic tissue sample, I knew I had to see what it would be like on my actual body!” Riley’s father exclaimed.

Riley groaned. “That’s worse, Father. Do you understand how that’s worse?”

“How else was I supposed to learn its effects?” Riley’s father said, confused.

“How about… not?” Riley suggested.

“I’m a biologist. How do you expect me to study my craft?”

“By not taking unnecessary risks?”

“I didn’t take any unnecessary risks. This was completely necessary!” 

Riley gave up. “Why don’t you tell me about your other experiments?”

“Of course! So after that, I…”

Thankfully, the rest of the experiments were far less distressing. Despite her father’s affinity for all amphibians, he managed to mostly stay away from the dangerous ones. He did show Riley a truly terrifying giant salamander. It seemed completely uninterested in the two of them. By the time the night ended, Riley truly appreciated her time away from home at Hogwarts. At least Draco didn’t purposefully poison himself or experiment with things he didn’t understand. Riley breathed a sigh of relief when her father finally ran out of steam. 

Riley and Jenny boarded the train just days before the second term started. Riley looked to her return to Hogwarts with new purpose. She would do whatever it took to find out who Clara really was. 

Jenny insisted that she finish her homework on the train. Riley had two essays left unwritten, which Jenny badgered her about until she worked on them  
. She even helped her with the Transfiguration essay. Jenny edited it while Riley napped in the afternoon. By the time they arrived at Kings Cross Station, Riley had completed all of her homework. Riley also told Jenny about everything she had found out over the holiday. Jenny expressed sympathy but not surprise.

“I’m sure he has a very good reason for not telling you about Clara. Believe me, I know manipulative and abusive parents. Your father clearly loves you and cares about your wellbeing. I’m sure he isn’t telling you because he thinks it will hurt you or it’s too upsetting for him,” Jenny said.

“That doesn’t excuse him lying to me,” Riley snapped.

“You’re right, of course. Are you looking forward to being back at Hogwarts?” Jenny asked.

“Yes. I can’t wait to look up everything I can about Durmstrang,” Riley said.

“Well, I hope you find what you’re looking for. Speaking of Hogwarts, I’m sure you’ll be happy to see Malfoy again,” Jenny said slyly.

“Perhaps. You know, he wanted me to visit him over the holidays. I told him no because I’m sure his father wouldn’t like that at all,” Riley replied.

“Cute. You’re right, of course. His father’s definitely more of a racist than Malfoy is. He had to learn it from somewhere, after all. Didn’t you say he has a House-elf slave?” Jenny mused.

Riley grimaced. “He did. Apparently last year, Harry tricked his father into accidentally freeing him. Draco was absolutely livid about it.”

Jenny snorted. “Of course he was, the git. The only thing that’s mildly in his favor is his looks.”

Riley sat up straight. “Wait, are you attracted to Draco?”

Jenny gagged. “Absolutely not! Snobbery is very unattractive. I can recognize aesthetic handsomeness without being interested in him. Ew, I almost threw up in my mouth for a moment there. Please never say anything like that to me again.”

Riley eyed her suspiciously. “Are you sure you aren’t just embarrassed.”

Jenny met her gaze head on. “Absolutely. I’d die before I’d ever be attracted to Malfoy. He is absolutely not my type.”

Riley felt her jealousy ease. “Good.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Even if, Merlin forbid, I was attracted to Malfoy, I’d give you first pick. You’re my friend, and I’ll always support you. Even if I think you have poor taste in boys.”

“Will you two stop gossiping for two minutes? I’m trying to study,” Scarlet said peevishly, looking up from her book.

Jenny shrugged. “Sorry Scarlet. But seriously, haven’t you been studying the whole holiday? You’re going to wear your brain out if you don’t give it a rest.”

“As a matter of fact, I didn’t. My parents forced me to participate in a variety of family events. I barely studied at all!” Scarlet complained.

“Translation: she studied a reasonable amount,” Jenny said. 

Riley snickered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're halfway through! I still haven't finished the final chapter of book 5, but I'm a lot closer. Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Jenny Learns Some Things".


	11. In Which Jenny Learns Some Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny has a lot of werewolf stuff going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

Jenny entered the Common Room with fanfare. She immediately spotted Fred and George in the corner, talking to themselves. Jenny slid into a nearby seat and grinned. Fred and George both looked happy to see her. 

“How are my favorite twins?” Jenny asked.

“Could be better. Harry got a Firebolt for Christmas but McGonagall confiscated it. Word is that Hermione told her about it. Harry and Ron have been ignoring her ever since,” George said morosely.

“Do they think it’s cursed?” Jenny asked.

“Yeah. McGonagall won’t return it until it’s been stripped, according to Harry. Shame, really. If we could get the broom back, and if Harry can fend off the dementors after his private lessons, we might just have a chance at the Quidditch Cup,” Fred added.

Jenny propped her feet up. “So who’s Hermione been spending her time with?”

Fred and George looked uncomfortable. “She’s mostly been on her own. I think she’s studying.” Fred pointed to the corner, where Hermione had her head buried in a book.

Jenny stood up. “I’m going over there.”

Fred and George watched as Jenny marched over to where Hermione was sitting. Jenny sat down in the chair across the table from her. After several seconds Hermione finally looked up.

“Oh hello, Jenny. I didn’t realize that everyone was back from holiday,“ Hermione said.

“I heard you’ve been ostracized,” Jenny said slyly.

Hermione’s eyes began to water. “I know why they’re so upset with me. I just want Harry to be safe.”

Jenny nodded. “I can’t say I would have made the same choice, but I understand why you did it. Everyone’s far too obsessed with Quidditch anyways. Where’s Crookshanks? I missed that crotchety bastard.”

Hermione shrugged. “I’m sure he’s wandering the grounds. Ron hates him, you know. He thinks Crookshanks is trying to eat Scabbers.”

“Ron’s rat? I wouldn’t be surprised. Ron should get a better pet, in my opinion. That rat’s bloody useless.” Jenny noticed Crookshanks padding down the girls’ dormitory stairs. 

“You know he’s very attached to Scabbers, don’t you?“ Hermione said huffily. 

Jenny lifted Crookshanks into her lap and began petting his squashed head. “That doesn’t change my point.”

“Why are you even talking to me? I was sure you’d be on their side,” Hermione said skeptically.

“I felt like it. Besides, whenever someone goes against the tide, I always find it interesting. The gift was unsigned, right? There’s a definite possibility that it came from Sirius Black. I wonder how he’d get access to his vault? He could just walk in, but the goblins have very strict security protocols. He must have put in a request. My guess is that the goblins value privacy over wizarding laws. They wouldn’t alert the Aurors about this, I suspect,” Jenny mused.

Hermione stared at her. “I’m terrified of the way your brain works.”

Jenny grinned. “Most people are.” 

Jenny put off her desire to confront Lupin and spent the rest of the day with Hermione. Granted, Hermione mostly buried herself in studying, while Jenny entertained Crookshanks. Jenny suspected Hermione appreciated the company, though.

After class ended the next dat, Jenny made a beeline for Lupin’s office instead of heading to the library. She knocked lightly on his door. After several seconds of rocking on her heels, Lupin opened the door. He seemed surprised to see her. 

“What can I help you with, Ms. Jones? I have a private lesson with Mr. Potter very soon, so I don’t have a lot of time,” he said warmly. 

“This won’t take long, Professor. It is regarding a private and serious issue. Can I come in?” Jenny asked briskly. 

Lupin opened the door and ushered her inside. Jenny brushed past him and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. He took his own seat. Jenny twisted her hands nervously.

“I know you’re a werewolf. I suspected for a while, but I knew for sure when I saw you drinking Wolfsbane. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” Jenny burst out.

Lupin turned white. “Yes, I am. Professor Dumbledore approved my position here. Is that all you came here for?”

Jenny relaxed. “No. I just wanted you to confirm it before I said anything. You see, I’m a werewolf too. I was turned when I was five years old. You’re the first werwolf I’ve met outside of the family.”

Lupin blinked at her. “Wait a minute... last name Jones, Scottish accent, family of werewolves... are you a Jones werewolf? I’d heard rumors, but I thought it was a myth!”

“Unfortunately, no. My family is a bunch of werewolf cultists. I actually don’t live with them anymore. I moved in with my friend Riley Dracula last summer. I’ve also been brewing my own Wolfsbane for the last three years,” Jenny said, sighing quietly.

“But, how? Wolfsbane is extremely expensive and very difficult to brew,” Lupin said, shocked.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “I’m very talented, very determined, and I am well funded. If you didn’t already have your own supply, I’d offer to make it for you.”

“I’ve never seen you look tired or miss any class. How do you do it?” Lupin asked. 

“Lots of practice. I also eat a lot of food. Besides, I’ve been drinking Wolfsbane continuously for years. You’ve only been drinking it for a few months, and you’ve been a werewolf for much longer than I have. I only shifted a few times without Wolfsbane or the pack. I doubt you can say the same,” Jenny pointed out.

Lupin sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I’d love to talk with you more about this, but Mr. Potter is moments away and I know you have homework to do. Come by any time, Ms. Jones.”

Jenny got up and walked to the door. “I’ll see you around, Professor.”

She practically skipped to the library . Her meeting had gone much better than she hoped. She finally had someone to talk to who understood what she was going through. Not only that, but Lupin had no ties to her family.

Riley and Scarlet looked up expectantly when Jenny finally arrived at the library. “How did it go?” Scarlet asked.

Jenny took her usual seat. “He admitted it. He also said I could stop by his office anytime.”

Riley smiled. “That’s great! I thought you would be there for longer.”

“Apparently Harry had an anti-dementor lesson, so I had to go.” Jenny glanced over and saw Hermione sitting by herself.

Riley frowned. “Who are you looking at?”

“Hermione’s all by herself again. Apparently Harry and Ron aren’t talking to because she told McGonagall about Harry’s Firebolt,” Jenny explained.

Riley’s eyes widened. “A Firebolt! Draco said that was the latest model. He told me he’s trying to get his father to buy him one, but his father said no because he just bought him the Nimbus 2001 last year.” 

“The gift was anonymous, so McGonagall confiscated it temporarily. I think I’m going to invite Hermione to join us.” Jenny stood up.

Scarlet glanced up. “Sounds like a great idea. There’ll finally be someone else who cares about studying.”

Jenny marched over to where Hermione sat studying and tapped her fingers on the table. Hermione looked up. Jenny winced internally when she noticed the dark circles under Hermione’s eyes. She resisted the urge to tell Hermione to take a nap.

“You should come join us. Scarlet’s studying for her OWLs, so Riley and I are on our best behavior,” Jenny said firmly.

“I don’t know… isn’t your vampire friend a Slytherin?” Hermione said skeptically.

“She doesn’t have anything against Gryffindors. C’mon, Hermione. You shouldn’t be spending all of your time alone,” Jenny cajoled.

Hermione sniffed. “I visit Hagrid all the time.”

“Yes, and Hagrid definitely understands the plight of teenage girls. Don’t be so stubborn. Join us. We’d be happy to have you,” Jenny insisted.

Hermione gathered up her things. “Oh, alright. I stand by the fact that you coerced me into this.”

Jenny snorted. “Fine by me.”

Riley and Scarlet smiled encouragingly when Hermione took the empty seat at their table. Hermione nodded approvingly when she saw Scarlet’s books. She didn’t seem to want to look Riley in the eye at all. Jenny took her usual seat next to Riley. 

“So, are you three in the library a lot?” Hermione asked.

“Most of the year, really. There’s not a place indoors where students from different Houses can hang out other than the library. It’s usually too cold for us to hang out outside, except during the spring,” Riley explained.

Hermione tilted her head thoughtfully. “I’ve never thought about it before. Most people have friendships exclusively with their own House, from my understanding.”

“Oh, definitely. We all ended up in the same compartment by chance on the first day of school. Well, Scarlet was in her second year. She stumbled into our compartment by accident,” Riley said.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “We do have friendships in our own Houses. You know I spend most of my time with Fred and George, and Riley hangs out with Malfoy and his cronies, for reasons I will never understand. Scarlet’s a bit of a loner, but she’s friends with Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker.”

Midway through the month, Riley, Jenny, and Scarlet all attended the Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw match. Hermione opted out, as she didn’t like Quidditch even when her own House team played. Riley managed to escape from Crabbe and Goyle, and joined the two of them in the Ravenclaw section. Jenny bounced with excitement. She always enjoyed a good match. She felt conflicted. She wanted Gryffindor to win, so it would be better if Slytherin beat Ravenclaw than the reverse. However, she hated Malfoy, so she wanted him to fail to catch the Snitch. 

Scarlet kept her eyes glued to the field, no doubt watching Cho as closely as possible. Riley kept her eye on Draco, as he expected her too. Jenny almost always watched the Beaters. She wished she could hit Bludgers at people. Alas, she wasn’t a great flyer and didn’t care much for grueling practices.

Despite Ravenclaw’s superb match the previous quarter, Slytherin proved much more difficult. Jenny winced as she watch the Slytherin Chasers score goal after goal. Scarlet didn’t even seem to notice, as her attention never wavered. Riley looked cheered. Jenny groaned at the lack of fouls and near misses that accompanied most Slytherin games. 

“I wish a Bludger would hit someone in the face,” she complained.

“You know, that could cause serious brain damage, Jenny. You shouldn’t be so bloodthirsty,” Scarlet scolded.

“I have to get my jollies somehow. This is one of the most boring matches I’ve ever watched. I don’t even care that much who wins!” Jenny pouted.

Riley patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t be so glum, Jenny. You know, the final match this year is Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. I’m sure that will be the most violent yet, especially if Gryffindor beats Ravenclaw in the spring.”

Jenny cheered up. “You’re right, Riley. I shouldn’t get too down. Though I doubt anything will top Lockhart removing all of Harry’s bones from his arm.”

Riley grimaced. “That was revolting! It looked like he had a rubber glove attached to his body!”

Jenny grinned. “I know, it was bloody brilliant!”

Scarlet flicked Jenny’s head. “Quiet! You’re distracting me. How am I supposed to see Cho catch the Snitch if you’re blabbering in my ear?”

Jenny rubbed the sore spot where Scarlet flicked her. “You don’t have to be so mean, Scarlet. Besides, I think Malfoy’s diving for the Snitch.”

The three of them turned to watch Malfoy whiz across the field. Cho gave chase, but her broom was no match for Malfoy’s Nimbus 2001. Moments later, Malfoy pumped his arm triumphantly in the air. Scarlet and Jenny groaned.

“It seems that Draco’s training has paid off. His injuries don’t seem to have slowed him down either,” Riley noted.

“He’s going to be such a prat about this, you know,” Jenny pointed out sourly. 

“Cho was so close! If she had a better broom, she definitely would’ve caught the Snitch!” Scarlet lamented. 

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, there really should be a standard broom that everyone has to fly on in matches, but when has Hogwarts ever been about fairness? I bet old Dumbledore could afford to by enough Firebolts for every Quidditch player. Or at least Nimbus 2001s. Is he going to? Probably not.”

“I don’t think Hogwarts is rolling around in that much gold,” Scarlet said skeptically. 

“That’s what he wants you to think,” Jenny insisted.

“Would you stop with your Dumbledore conspiracies? I have to go, Draco’s going to want to brag to me about how well he did,” Riley said reluctantly.

“Do try to deflate his head a bit, would you?” Jenny said. 

“You know that’s not really possible, Jenny,” Riley grumbled.

“Jenny, stop bothering Riley. Why don’t you go find Hermione or something? I might go down and say something encouraging to Cho.” Scarlet looked at the pitch distractedly.

“She seems like the sensitive sort. Maybe now’s the time to ask her out?” Jenny suggested.

Scarlet waved her off. “Don’t be absurd. No doubt she’s devastated. I can’t force my feelings on her at such a delicate time.”

Jenny sighed. “At some point you’re either going to run out of excuses or someone else will snatch her up.”

Scarlet frowned. “I’m pretty sure Roger Davies asked her out. I saw him talking to her the day after we got back from holiday, and he looked a bit more nervous than usual.”

Jenny snorted. “I thought he was into Riley still.”

“I’m going to go now, please stop speculating on which boys are interested in me!” Riley called over her shoulder.

“You take the fun out of everything!” Jenny shouted back.

Scarlet decided against seeing Cho, and instead went with Jenny to find Hermione. Jenny spotted Ron and Harry on their way to the library. She tapped Scarlet and marched over to them. They looked surprised to see her.

“What is your two’s problem? She’s your friend, and she was just worried about your safety! Make up with her already, you giant prats!” Jenny shouted, poking them both in the chest.

“She’s the one… Scabbers… her cat is a demon!” Ron protested.

“Crookshanks is a treasure. I can’t believe you two,” Jenny snapped before stalking back over to Scarlet.

“Do you think that had any effect on them?” Scarlet asked thoughtfully.

“I sincerely doubt it. Have you ever met anyone as oblivious as Harry?” Jenny said, resisting the urge to snarl.

“Let’s go find Hermione,” Scarlet said quickly, sensing Jenny’s ire.

Hermione was not, as they expected, in the the library. Jenny thought about going up to the Gryffindor Common Room, but discarded the idea. She would just yell at Harry and Ron again. Instead, they turned around and went to the Great Hall for lunch. Jenny made sure to glare at Ron and Harry before sitting down next to Fred and George. 

Jenny decided to visit Lupin in his office a few days later. He told her that Harry had Quidditch practice that evening. Jenny waved off Scarlet’s concerns about her studies and went to meet him. He seemed rather calm when he opened the door, despite the full moon being just days away.

“How are you, Professor?” Jenny asked as she stepped into the office.

Lupin smiled gently. “ I can’t say I enjoy the Wolfsbane Potion, but I can’t deny its benefits.”

Jenny nodded. “I’ve gotten used to the taste, but I do wish you could add a bit of flavoring to it.”

“Where do you usually spend the full moon?” he said, pouring tea for the both of them.

Jenny took her cup. “The Forbidden Forest. My sister Kelsey watches over me, and she doesn’t know that I take Wolfsbane. It’s the safest accessible place for a wolf during the full moon.”

Lupin hummed thoughtfully. “They built the Shrieking Shack and planted the Whomping Willow for me. I was locked in there every full moon.”

Jenny winced. “That must have been painful. I’ll admit, I didn’t enjoy being the forest by myself, but at least I could roam around.”

“I attacked myself because I had no outlet for my murderous rage,” Lupin confessed.

“I’m sorry. At least now, when I’m not at school, I stay indoors or I run with the vampires. Since vampires are nocturnal and they can’t be turned into werewolves, the wolf doesn’t see them as prey. It’s almost like running with a pack,” Jenny said.

“Really? That’s fascinating. Vampires mostly stay away from werewolves. Probably because they were never wizards in the first place.” Lupin sipped his tea.

“I’d say that’s short sighted. Vampires and wizards can have vampire and wizard children. Riley’s half vampire, you know. She has both vampiric powers and witch magic. There’s a trade off, but she’s more resistant to the sun and she can easily live diurnally.” Jenny gulped down her tea.

“Fascinating. We’re supposed to do a unit on vampires this term,” Lupin said.

Jenny inspected the dregs of her tea. “Well, that’s interesting.”

Lupin eyed her. “Are you in Divination?”

Jenny grinned. “Why, yes, I am. I’m trying to read my tea leaves, but I’m not getting anything straightforward. I actually had a couple of readings come true last year.”

Lupin raised his eyebrows. “Did you really?”

“People don’t give Trelawney enough credit. Most of the material she teaches is about interpretation, rather than true prediction. However, crystal ball gazing is very difficult. Most of the time all you can see is smoke. Maybe it requires you to be able to see the future, or at least to be more imaginative,” Jenny said, peering at her cup again.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone describe Divination that way. Either they declare that Divination is for quacks, or say that you just aren’t deep enough to get it,” Lupin said.

“That’s because the imaginative people aren’t logical, and the logical people aren’t imaginative. I’m a little bit of both. The Hat told me I could have been placed in any House.” Jenny set the cup back down on the table. 

“Really? I’ve never heard about anyone like that before. Perhaps it’s because people don’t usually talk about their Sorting.”

Jenny stayed in Lupin’s office for another hour. Eventually, she realized that she had to leave if she wanted to get any work done. Lupin mentioned grading he had to finish. Jenny waved goodbye and headed to the library. On her way there, Kelsey walked up to her and pulled her into a side hallway. Jenny resisted the urge to groan.

“What now?” she complained.

Kelsey shifted awkwardly. “I need your help.”

Jenny crossed her arms. “How could you possibly need anything from me? You’re an Unbitten, you love our family, and the only thing that could make your life better is to be made into a werewolf like the rest of us.”

Kelsey clenched her fists. “I never wanted to admit this, but I think you were right all along. I should have listened to you. Now I’m afraid, and I don’t know what to do. They want to meet Liam during Easter holidays.”

Jenny straightened, all of her belligerent feelings disappearing in a flash. “Your boyfriend?”

Kelsey nodded. “Yes. They know we’ve been getting serious. Ezekiel and his girlfriend Innes are getting married after I graduate. I think Grandfather wants it to be a double wedding. He wants to initiate Innes and Liam into the pack at the same time. Ezekiel put it off as long as he could. He insisted on a summer wedding, to give Innes more time. She’s going to make the Unbreakable Vow during Easter. I’m sure that as soon as we graduate, I have to tell Liam about our family and he’ll either be Obliviated or make an Unbreakable Vow. I don’t know what to do. Please help me.”

Jenny rubbed her hands over her face. “Bloody hell, Kelsey, I’m fourteen! What exactly do you expect me to do about this?” 

“You’re the most devious person I know. If anyone can get me out of this situation, you can,” Kelsey said confidently.

Jenny groaned. “Who said I’d help you, anyways? You did absolutely nothing when I was suffering.”

Kelsey pursed her lips. “I do regret that, you know. I don’t have anyone else to turn to. You know as well as I do that Comfort and Zeke can’t be trusted to really stand against them. I know they’re helping Emmett in small ways, but they’d never defy Grandfather Conrí directly. I also know that you’d do anything to keep one more person from suffering the pain of being a werewolf. Liam doesn’t deserve this fate.”

“That’s completely unfair! Fine. I don’t know how yet, but I will save you from our terrible family. Besides, if I get you to defect, Innes will be designated the new Unbitten for our generation. I’ll save two people instead of just one,” Jenny grumbled.

Kelsey gave Jenny a tight hug. “I can’t express how much this means to me.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “You’re just lucky that I’m a sucker.”

Kelsey rushed off, likely to meet up with Liam. Jenny took a moment to settle down, and then walked to library. Scarlet noticed her entrance and set down her book when she saw Jenny’s face. Riley frowned.

“No, Lupin and I didn’t get into some werewolf dominance fight. I actually had a really good time. Kelsey stopped me on my way here,” Jenny said, plopping down at the table.

“What did she say?” Riley said worriedly.

“She needs my help. She wants to break away from the family. She doesn’t want Liam to become a werewolf,” Jenny explained quietly.

“So now that it’s negatively affecting her, she isn’t marching to the family beat,” Riley said rudely.

“Riley, she needs me, and that’s all I really need to know. We have to figure out how to hide her so my family can’t find her, and how to get her out of Hogwarts so she doesn’t get caught,” Jenny said firmly.

Scarlet cleared away her study materials and pulled out a fresh piece of parchment. “There’s only one true way to hide someone or someplace: The Fidelius Charm. It’s extremely advanced magic. I’m not even sure I could perform it, and it’s my best subject. I’d have to do extensive research, and I might even have to trick Flitwick into helping me under the pretense of a special interest. It’s possible I may be able to practice with a small thing first. 

“We’ll also need a Secret Keeper. That’s the person who holds the secret, and the only person who can tell anyone about it. I suggest that you be the Secret Keeper, Jenny. We all know you’re very good at hiding things, and they’re your family. The only way your family will know where Kelsey and Liam are hiding is if you tell them.”

Jenny grinned. “That solves the hard part. Now I just have to figure out how to sneak Kelsey and Liam out from under my parent’s noses.”

“As if you aren’t completely excited at the prospect. You love elaborate hijinks. I just want you both to know that I’ll do anything I can to help you ,” Riley said.

“Thanks, Riley. I may need you as part of my plan,” Jenny said, patting Riley’s shoulder.

“Well, it’s a good thing I got a jump start on studying for my OWLs. With this additional project, there’s no way I’ll be able to meet my studying targets,” Scarlet said.

“Sorry about that, Scarlet,” Jenny said sheepishly.

“I’m just happy to be included for once. You two always leave me out of the fun adventures,” Scarlet said mulishly.

“I brought you along to find Jenny in our first year, remember? Jenny’s the one who keeps leaving you out,” Riley said.

“It’s not on purpose, I swear!” Jenny insisted.

Scarlet returned to her books without comment. Jenny could see her lips curling into a smile. She knew Scarlet was just funning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter of the year! I am still working on Book Five, but I hope to have it finished by midnight tonight. I'll be posting this week's chapter, "In Which Riley Does Some Research, For Once", tomorrow!


	12. In Which Riley Does Some Research, For Once

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only Valentine's Day can distract Riley from looking into Durmstrang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

Riley brushed her hair away from her face with a sigh. She had spent every free moment in the library, researching Durmstrang, since she returned from holiday. She had even grilled Draco on what he knew about it. Despite his extensive bragging, Draco knew almost nothing about the school itself, much to Riley’s frustration. Riley discovered that the library yielded little more information. She asked Madam Pince for help, and received a nasty look instead. 

Left to her own devices, she searched the most likely places. The history books mentioned Durmstrang only briefly. Rumors said it had strong associations with the Dark Arts, and a much more lenient policy towards that kind of magic. Apparently, the Dark Wizard Grindelwald had attended Durmstrang as a student. Other than that, there were no specifics mentioned. Unlike Hogwarts, which had a widely public history, Durmstrang did not share its inner workings with the wizarding community at large. Riley suspected that if she had gone to the school herself, she would find books all about the school in its library. Unfortunately, Riley had no such access.

Instead, she pulled out another history book she hadn’t read yet. Riley rifled through the pages, skimming for any mention of Durmstrang. She huffed in frustration, banging her head lightly on the worn cover. Why had she thought investigating Durmstrang would lead her to any more clues about the mysterious Clara? 

Riley placed the book back on the shelf and pulled out another at random. To her surprise, it had ‘Durmstrang’ in the title. She brushed off the book and peered at the faded lettering. The title read _Little Known Secrets of Durmstrang: A Student Tells All_. Riley eagerly flipped the book open and began to read.

_Durmstrang has a strict policy regarding wizards and witches. Muggleborns are rare attendees and extremely scrutinized. Unlike Beauxbatons, which has hosted several part-human wizards and witches, there are no known attendees at Durmstrang. The school considers part-human wizards and witches to be abominations. If such a student has attended, they kept their non-human lineage a secret._

Riley closed the book carefully. Hadn’t her mother’s journal said something about Clara hiding her abilities? The evidence grew stronger that Clara was Riley’s secret older sister. For some reason, her father hid all pictures of her and never mentioned her name. Riley frowned. Perhaps Clara had caused her mother’s death, or worse, killed her. Riley tucked the book under her arm and brought it to Madam Pince. 

“Can I check this book out, please?” Riley asked.

Madam Pince sniffed. “That book hasn’t left the library in years. How do I know you’ll take care of it?”

“I’m a Slytherin. It would be against my best interests to upset you by mistreating a book, wouldn’t it? Then you wouldn’t let me check anything out again,” Riley said drily.

Madam Pince reluctantly filled out the form for her. “It is due in one week. You will be very sorry if you turn it in late.”

“Of course, Madam Pince,” Riley said solemnly, tucking the book under her arm.

She went straight to the Slytherin Common Room. She wanted nothing more than to sink into a comfortable sofa and dig into her new find. On the way, she spotted and Jenny and the twins chatting amicably. Jenny waved when she saw Riley. The twins eyed her suspiciously. Riley waved awkwardly back before hurrying away. Riley said the password with a slight wince and slipped into the Common Room. She took the seat next to Draco and opened her book. Unfortunately, Draco did not take the hint.

“Reading, Riley? I’m surprised. I thought you hated schoolwork,” Draco said.

“Talking about Durmstrang with you piqued my interest, so I went looking for more in the library. I was lucky to stumble onto this. It reads more like a gossip rag than a history book, which is more my area anyways,” Riley said, not looking up.

“We’ve been ever so bored without your company, Riley. Won’t you play Exploding Snap with us?” Draco cajoled. 

Riley frowned. “Why do you need me, anyways? I’m not that good a player.”

“I’m bored of beating Crabbe and Goyle,” Draco complained.

“Why don’t you ask Parkinson to play with you then?” Riley snapped.

“Fine, I will,” Draco said huffily.

Riley immediately regretted her words as Draco sauntered over to Pansy Parkinson, who simpered when she spotted him coming her way. Riley’s chest burned with jealousy. She didn’t want Pansy Parkinson to put her paws anywhere near Draco. She couldn’t do anything to stop her though. Instead, she buried her face in her book and tried not to notice. Riley tried hard to focus on the book; Pansy’s irritating titters kept interrupting her thoughts. Riley grit her teeth. She peeked over her book to see Gregory and Vincent looking extremely uncomfortable. She glanced to the side, and noticed Pansy draping herself onto Draco and fluttering her eyelashes. Riley’s knuckles whitened as she gripped her book even tighter.

Realizing she had nearly ripped a page, Riley relaxed her fingers. She closed her book nonchalantly, and casually strode over to the girls’ dormitory. She would not give Pansy the satisfaction of bothering her. She controlled the urge to look over at them, and walked to her room. Once their voices faded, Riley felt the tension bleed from her shoulders. She slipped into her room and set the book on her desk. She knew she would get no more reading in tonight. She felt too irritated and on edge. Instead, she contemplated Jenny’s potion. Would it be against the rules to use this for one of her exams? Probably. Would she get caught? Definitely. Riley set the potion aside. She brushed out her hair, dressed in her most comfortable nightgown, and slipped underneath the covers. She lay there for several minutes, trying to ignore the tingles she felt when she thought about Draco. Her heart belonged to Professor Snape, and it always would. 

Riley told Scarlet and Jenny about the book she found the next day in the library. Jenny tried to take the book from Riley to read it for herself. Riley shooed her off by hitting her with it.

“Get your paws off! It’s my textbook,” Riley said sharply.

Jenny shook out her injured hands. “Why won’t you let me see it?”

“Because I’m the one Madam Pince leant it too! Which means I’m the one who’s responsible for it,” Riley said coolly.

“You’re such a spoilsport,” Jenny complained.

Scarlet frowned at her. “Jenny, please stop antagonizing Riley. She’s being responsible. Aren’t you both supposed to be working on your assignments anyways?”

Riley winced. “I’ve been so busy reading this book that I haven’t finished any homework in days. I’m pretty sure the Potions essay is due tomorrow. I don’t want to disappoint Professor Snape.”

Jenny sighed. “It is due tomorrow. Thankfully, I’ve already finished it, so I can help you with yours. I’d suggest we work on our Herbology homework first, but I know how your mind works. You won’t want to work on anything until you take care of Snape’s homework.”

“You don’t have to be so cold about it,” Riley protested.

“Do you want my help or not?” Jenny replied.

Riley did manage to finish all of the work due the next day, with Jenny’s and Scarlet’s help. She hadn’t gotten a start on any other work, so she would have even more to do tomorrow afternoon. Despite this future worry, Riley walked excitedly to the Great Hall. She decided that she would stop being angry with Draco and talk to him again.

Unfortunately, her plans of magnanimous forgiveness were thwarted when she saw Pansy Parkinson hanging off of Draco at the Slytherin table. Riley grit her teeth and marched up to the two of them. Pansy looked up with barely disguised hatred. Draco looked slightly embarrassed.

“Excuse me, Parkinson, but that’s my seat,” Riley said sweetly.

Pansy shifted closer to Draco. “I think Draco wants me to sit here. Why don’t you sit next to Crabbe and Goyle?”

Riley sneered, flashing her fang. “You have two seconds to let go of him and sit with your little friends.”

Pansy sneered back. “I don’t think I will.”

Riley lost her patience. She grabbed Pansy by her obnoxious high ponytail, yanked her away from Draco, and hauled her to the Slytherin third year girls. Ignoring Pansy’s howls of indignation, she dumped her in an empty seat. She dusted off her hands, daring the third years to mess with her.

“You should have listened to me, Parkinson. I gave you two warnings. Next time, I won’t be so patient, or so gentle with you. Keep that in mind,” Riley said, before sauntering back over to Draco.

She resisted the urge to grin at the horrified faces of Pansy’s friends. When she looked over to Draco, she noticed him looking absolutely flabbergasted. Vincent and Gregory, however, hadn’t even looked up from their plates. She took her seat next to Draco and began picking food for her plate.

Draco blinked. “You didn’t have to be so rough with her.”

“Draco, Pansy doesn’t know her place. She thinks she has more power than she does, and she moved in on my territory. I can’t let her think she can get the better of me. She did that once, and I won’t let it happen again. I won’t always have powerful friends to protect me. I have to show them that they should also be scared of me,” Riley said calmly.

Draco gulped. “You certainly pulled off intimidating.”

Riley smirked. “Are you scared of me now, Draco?”

Draco blushed. “Scared isn’t the word I’d use.”

Riley pinched his cheek. “You’re adorable when you blush.”

“Don’t make fun of me,” he grumbled.

Riley ignored the thumping of her racing heart. “I’m not. I’m just being honest.”

Draco opened his mouth as if to say more, and then closed it with a snap. He turned back to his food and ate quietly. Riley felt her cheeks burning and hoped it didn’t show too much on her face. She glanced over at Vincent and Gregory; they did not seem to have noticed her exchange with Draco. If they did, they tactfully kept their mouth shut. Sometimes Riley wondered how much they really saw but never spoke a word about. 

After dinner, Riley resigned herself to playing yet another game of Exploding Snap. Instead, Draco challenged her to a game of Wizard Chess. She had never seen him play before. He went to his dormitory room and returned with a beautifully carved set. 

“My father gave it to me for Christmas. This set is supposed to be long-lasting, and the pieces stay broken until the end of the game, where they miraculously repair themselves! It’s the latest version,” Draco bragged as he laid out the set.

“I’ve played a little bit of Wizard Chess, and even some Muggle chess with my father. He’s very good, and he’s taught me a lot. I hope I can put up a fight for you,” Riley said.

“I’m sure you’ll do just fine, Riley,” Draco said assuredly.

Draco pleasantly surprised Riley. He turned out to be very good at Wizard Chess. Riley originally suspected he might be overstating his own ability, but he quickly proved her wrong. He crushed her in the first game, in part because Riley didn’t take him seriously. The next game, she managed to beat him narrowly. She had to pull out all the stops, including fluttering her eyelashes at him when he was working on a move. She managed to cause a fumble with that tactic. 

“I think a win for each of us is a good way to end the evening,” Draco said after they finished their second game.

“Agreed. We’re no Gryffindors, but Slytherins can get nasty when we get too competitive,” Riley said ruefully.

Riley hugged Draco, ignoring Pansy’s harsh glare from across the room. 

Riley woke up on Valentine’s Day with a groan. She almost considered not getting out of bed at all. She knew that a mountain of Valentine’s Day cards likely awaited her. The prospect made her nauseous. She would have loved to have just three or four admirers, but instead she had dozens. Based on Jenny’s exponential graph (that she had shown Riley last week), the older Riley got, the more the cards and letters would multiply. 

Riley asked her how she came up with this graph, and Jenny said, “Edward taught me algebra over summer vacation.”

After lying in bed for several minutes, trying to stave off the inevitable, Riley pulled herself together. She put Jeremy’s ugly knitted hat on her head and tried to hide as much of her hair as possible underneath it. She ducked her head down and hurried to the Great Hall, trying to move as inconspicuously and quickly as possible. 

Fortunately, no dwarves appeared this year to deliver valentines. Instead, people had to give their gifts out themselves. Riley ate as quickly as possible, but she could still not avoid a number of people who presented her with cards. She thanked them with her eyes on the floor and fled as soon as she could. She wished she could disappear through the floor, if at all possible. 

Draco disliked Riley’s flood of valentines even more than she did. “Why are all of these people coming up to you? They don’t even know you. They just see you walking around and think that you would even notice them. They fall in love with your beauty, but they don’t know you at all.”

Riley hid behind him as she saw a second year Hufflepuff wandering around, clearly looking for her. “You should see Jenny’s chart. According to her, it’s only going to get worse. I think the only way I’m going to get them to stop bothering me is if I have a boyfriend shield.”

“If you need protection, Riley, you need only ask. I can protect you from anyone who dares to bother you,” Draco insisted.

“That would only work if you were my boyfriend,” Riley hissed.

Draco blushed. “I can fill any position you need.”

Riley’s face turned as red as his. “I didn’t ask for your protection! I just mentioned the obvious solution, which Jenny pointed out to me last year. I foolishly ignored her, and now I’m paying the price, again!”

“Your little Gryffindor friend is remarkably perceptive, isn’t she? Didn’t you say she made you a list of admirers in your second year? How accurate was it?” Draco said curiously.

“Too bloody accurate!” Riley hissed.

“Well, we’ve made it to your next class, Riley. I’ve got to be going. I do wish we were in the same year, Riley. Then we would have all of our classes together,” Draco said wistfully.

“That’s sweet Draco, but I’ve got to go. I can’t linger in the hallway or another one of my admirers will see me,” Riley said quickly as she ducked into her classroom.

Jenny snorted when she saw Riley’s harried expression that afternoon in the library. “Running away from admirers all day?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Draco agreed to be my bodyguard. Pansy looked like she was going to explode when he ignored her to protect me,” Riley said, nervously looking around for any hidden students.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry. I spread a rumor that anyone who bothered me in the library today would get hexed. That, combined with the terrifying Madam Pince, will keep everyone from harassing you as long as you’re in here. Did Scarlet tell you that she was going to try and ask Cho out today? Unfortunately, Roger Davies asked Cho out in front of everyone, and Cho accepted. They’re going to Madam Puddifoot’s during the next Hogsmeade visit, apparently. Scarlet said she was too upset to study. I’m a bit worried about her, but as I don’t want to try breaking into Ravenclaw Tower again, I decided to ambush her tomorrow instead.”

“Wait, Roger Davies? I think a boy named Roger asked me out last year,” Riley mused.

“Was that the ‘Ur hot’ valentine?” Jenny asked, snickering.

“How do you remember that?” Riley asked, mystified.

“It was hilarious, therefore, I will remember it forever. How accurate was my graph today, by the way?” Jenny smirked.

Riley buried her head in her hands. “I’m pretty sure it was spot on. Also, I’m certain Draco offered to be my boyfriend. Accidentally, I think.”

Jenny’s eyes glinted. “Really? Are you going to accept? Don’t think I didn’t see you haul Parkinson around by her hair when she tried to move in on your territory.” 

Riley shifted awkwardly. “That’s overstating it. I just put her in her place.”

“Sure, sure. Do you want to see what horrible creation Jeremy made me this year for Valentine’s Day?” Jenny reached into her bag and pulled out a knitted monstrosity.

Riley frowned. “Is that… a heart with a face?” 

Jenny squinted at it. “I think so. I’m not totally sure, if I’m being honest.”

“You would think after all of these years that he would get even slightly better at it,” Riley said.

“I think most of his problem is that he’s too distracted, so he doesn’t notice purling or dropped stitches. He hasn’t learned how to do it automatically and he knits while eavesdropping,” Jenny speculated.

“No doubt. Are you sure Scarlet’s okay?” Riley said worriedly.

Jenny frowned. “Not at all. I’m worried about her. She looked like she was about to cry when she told me about Cho and Roger. I wish she would just give up on Cho. Witches are far too prudish about liking girls. I’m worried Scarlet will be hopelessly in love with a girl who only sees her as a friend forever.”

“Pavarti Patil sent me a Valentine’s Day card last year. There must be more witches like her around here somewhere,” Riley insisted.

Jenny sighed. “Scarlet would probably yell at us if she heard us gossiping about her love life. She’d also tell us to work on our homework.”

Riley pulled out her textbooks. “She’d be right.”

Riley managed to survive Valentine’s Day with only a dozen love confessions. No one cried when she turned them down, thankfully. They nodded like they expected her to dismiss them. Did everyone really think she was so far above them? The thought made her extremely uncomfortable.

That evening, Nyx brought her a letter from Edward. Now that Jenny had Sable, Edward and Jeremy kept their correspondence separate. Riley opened the letter and eagerly began to read.

_Dear Riley,_

_I hope your Valentine’s Day wasn’t too stressful. I have to admit that the castle seems especially empty now that you and Jenny aren’t here. Jeremy has been moping ever since Jenny left. He’s grown quite attached to her. I want you to know that, as you become more of an unattainable myth to your classmates, you will always remain a close personal friend to me. I feel the same way about you that I have since the moment I laid eyes on you. You will always have an important place in my heart. I truly wish you well._

_Yours,  
Edward_

Riley resisted the urge to start crying. As always, Edward said such incredibly thoughtful things to her. He seemed to know exactly what she needed at any given moment. She knew how lucky she was to have such a true friend. Riley tucked the letter away with her other prized possessions. Normally, she would be relaxing in the Slytherin Common Room with Draco, Vincent, and Gregory, but she knew that it was much safer to stay out of the way of possible admirers and jealous girls. 

Riley relaxed the next day. All of the Valentine’s Day drama vanished like smoke. Scarlet appeared completely unaffected when Riley saw her in the hallway; even her hair stayed its normal bright red color. Cho and Roger Davies’s relationship was the only big change. They sat very close together at the Ravenclaw table, giggling quietly to each other. Riley resisted the urge to roll her eyes at them.

Draco reasserted himself by acting as though he hadn’t offered Riley a relationship the day before. He made several snide comments about Harry Potter, and even a couple loud enough to reach across the hall to Harry’s ears. Harry ignored him, to Riley’s relief. The last thing Hogwarts needed was another Gryffindor vs. Slytherin altercation.

In Divination, they focused on astrological signs. Riley didn’t understand half of the nonsense Trelawney threw at them. Jenny held on to every word, taking extensive notes during Trelawney’s multiple hour lecture. Riley wondered if she would merge into the poof she sat on if she fell asleep. It certainly seemed to be enveloping her.

“Oooh, this is so interesting, Riley! I wish you would actually pay attention,” Jenny said gleefully.

“You couldn’t pay me to pay attention to this. I think my eyes are falling out of my head,” Riley complained. 

“You only have one more year after this. Then you can drop this class in sixth year,” Jenny pointed out.

“Are you going to keep taking it after this?” Riley said, horrified.

Jenny shrugged. “Probably not. As fun as this is, I’m not going to take any classes unless I think they’re important for my future.”

“I’ll be lucky if I do well enough in any of my classes to take any NEWTs,” Riley said morosely.

“You’ll do fine. If nothing else, Scarlet and I will help you study.” Jenny patted Riley’s arm. 

When Trelawney finally released them, Riley hurried out of the classroom, nearly leaving Jenny behind. Jenny caught up to her in the corridor and they walked to lunch together. They spotted Roger Davies and Cho Chang chatting in the hallway. Jenny glared at them. Riley dragged Jenny away before she could start a fight with someone.

“You know Scarlet wouldn’t appreciate you interfering,” she hissed as Jenny grumbled.

“Fine, fine. He just looks so smug!” Jenny grumbled.

That afternoon, Scarlet joined them in the library instead of staying in Ravenclaw Tower. When she saw their worried faces, she sighed.

“You don’t need to worry so much about me, you know. I’ll be just fine. A part of me always knew that Cho might not be interested in me. Besides, Roger took the initiative when I was too scared to. It’s partially my fault for not being brave enough,” she said calmly as she took her usually seat.

“That doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to be upset,” Jenny insisted.

“Jenny, I’ve accepted it. Please don’t dwell on it. It will just draw it out.” Scarlet opened up one of her books and began reading.

Jenny sighed and went back to her own work. Riley finally managed to catch up on the work she had fallen behind on. She kept shooting looks at Scarlet to see if she looked upset, but Scarlet looked as studious as ever. Riley looked over and noticed Jenny watching Scarlet as well. When dinner rolled around, the three of them walked to the Great Hall.

Cho and Roger Davies appeared in the corridor opposite them, flushed and holding hands. Riley glanced at Scarlet from the corner of her eye. Scarlet’s hair flickered, turning a muddy brown, before returning to its usual bright red. Riley noticed her hands clench briefly around her bag before she ducked into the hall.

That evening, Riley finished her borrowed book. She took extensive notes, hoping to glean anything from it. Unfortunately, other than that passage about witch cross-species, none of the other information caught Riley’s interest. She resigned herself to returning the book the next day, having learned almost nothing. It seemed that her only way to learn anything new was either to encounter the dementors again or to return to her father’s secret room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter of the year! I meant to post this yesterday but things happened. Book 5 is finished, so that'll be ready to go once I run out of chapters for this book. I haven't started Book 6, but that'll probably happen soon. Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Jenny Has No Regrets".


	13. In Which Jenny Has No Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny handles some familial difficulties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

“I’m ashamed to say this, but I actually want Slytherin to win this one,” Jenny said.

“Isn’t it against the rules for a Gryffindor to root for Slytherin?” Riley said slyly. 

Jenny, Riley, and Scarlet stood together, watching the match with interest. Jenny dragged Scarlet along to watch a match that didn’t have Cho Chang in it. Jenny shifted eagerly, sizing up the players as they walked onto the field. 

“It’s those damn Hufflepuffs. Besides, it’s better for Gryffindor if Slytherin wins, because Hufflepuff absolutely slammed us. The Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match will be what actually decides if we can win the cup. We have to win that match if we have any chance.” Jenny explained.

“I thought you didn’t really care if Gryffindor actually won, as long as there was enough bloodshed?” Scarlet said.

“Fred and George will mope around for weeks if we lose again. They’ve lost every single year since they joined the team. They only have two more years to win the Cup after this. Besides, Wood might actually cry if he can’t win. It’s his last year.” Jenny grinned as the players flew into the air.

“I’m really interested to see Diggory and Draco face off. Diggory is supposed to be pretty good, but Ravenclaw beat Hufflepuff last winter. I hope Draco’s training pays off again,” Riley said. 

“I really hope there’s a broken nose this time,” Jenny said.

Jenny did not get her broken nose, but she did get her win. Slytherin handily beat Hufflepuff, with Malfoy barely outflying Diggory to get the Snitch. Jenny cheered, even though the lack of injuries disappointed her. Harry’s broken arm still won out as the best Quidditch accident she’d seen. Riley looked cheered, if a little wary.

“Riley, is it worse when Malfoy wins or loses?” Jenny asked.

“He’s worse when he loses. I can mostly tune out the bragging, but Draco moping is much worse. He talks more about Harry Potter when he loses than when he wins, regardless.” Riley moved away to join Crabbe and Goyle in congratulating Malfoy. 

Jenny walked arm and arm with Scarlet. Scarlet had been more quiet than usual in the month following Valentine’s Day, but now she seemed mostly back to herself. She also stopped wincing when she saw Cho and Davies in the hallway. 

Hogwarts scheduled another Hogsmeade visit the following Saturday. Jenny pulled Scarlet and Riley along excitedly. She wanted to buy Jeremy some more blood lollipops and stock up on Chocoballs. Riley mostly wanted to escape Malfoy for a few hours.

“I thought he would insist on tagging along, but he let me go. I wouldn’t be surprised if we ran into him, though,” Riley said morosely.

“As if I don’t get enough of that git at school,” Jenny grumbled.

“Hey! I thought you liked him better than Professor Snape?” Riley said sharply.

“In the sense that I would prefer to vomit slugs than die from poison, yes, I do like Malfoy more than Snape. I would like him much more if he didn’t constantly sabotage himself by being an insufferable prat,” Jenny said. 

“You know that’s not all his fault! His father is a complete bigot and he was spoiled all of his childhood. He doesn’t know any better,” Riley insisted.

“I’m possibly the worst person to try to make that argument to. You know how I was raised. Do you see me acting like a cult leader?” Jenny snapped.

“Oh dear,” Scarlet mumbled.

“What?” Jenny said.

They had just walked past Madam Puddifoot’s. Jenny saw Cho and Davies sitting at a table near the window, snogging. Jenny groaned and dragged Scarlet away. Scarlet seemed more shocked than upset, and Riley moved to block her view of the window. They went to the Three Broomsticks and found a table.

“I’m surprised Davies would take her there. He seems too masculine to go to a tea shop. You couldn’t pay me to go there recreationally,” Jenny said rudely.

Riley smirked. “Not even with a cute boy?”

Jenny glared. “We’re not going there again. I bet Malfoy wouldn’t go in there either.”

“I bet I could convince him,” Riley said, blushing.

“Are you actually considering him boyfriend material now?” Jenny said skeptically.

“I don’t know!” Riley said, turning even redder. 

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re fifteen. You’re allowed,” Scarlet said calmly, seemingly recovered.

Jenny looked up from their conversation and froze. She blinked several times, not believing her eyes. She shook her head. No, her father really was standing in the Three Broomsticks. She glanced over at Scarlet and Riley, who were now commiserating over hopeless love. 

She stood abruptly. “Excuse me, I have to take care of something.”

“Jenny, are you alright?” Scarlet frowned, concerned.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be right back,” Jenny said absentmindedly.

She moved quickly to intercept her father and dragged him out of the pub with unnecessary force. He did not look surprised, merely satisfied. She moved them to a quietly side path, out of the way of the visiting students.

She stepped back and observed him closely. He looked exactly the same as he had the last time she saw him, when she had officially left her family. He stood before her with his carefully trimmed beard and hair. His burly arms flexed in a show of strength. He stood at least a foot taller than her. Jenny put her hands on her hips.

“It’s time to put this silliness aside. You’ve proved your point. You’re an outsider. You should be back with the family where you belong,” her father said, looming over her.

Jenny clenched her fists. “You don’t get to control my life anymore! You or this family’s sick traditions. Turning kids, training them to be vicious killers… how could you possibly think that’s okay?”

Her father scoffed. “You’re young. You don’t understand. This has been a long tradition among our family. We are so renown and so revered that the werwolves don’t dare speak our name.”

“That is bullshit! Jones is the second most common surname in Great Britain, nobody knows who the bloody hell you’re talking about! Nothing you will say will make me do what you want. I don’t need anything from you,” Jenny snarled.

Her father smirked. “Oh, really? You’ve been sending Emmett letters for months, with no response. Why do you think that is? Did you really think you could just throw away your entire family and there wouldn’t be consequences? You were a blight on our family, but that doesn’t mean that you can flout it. Do you really think you can live on your own, without a pack? You’re a werewolf: a vicious killer.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “I’m just fine on my own, thank you. Did Grandfather Conrí send you? He should know better. We had an agreement, and he knows the consequences if he reneges on it.”

“Ah, if you’d only been my oldest son,” her father lamented.

“Only backwards misogynists believe in the male birthright. You’re lucky I wasn’t. I’d have killed the both of you and dismantled your cult,” Jenny said coolly.

Her father laughed. “Now that I don’t believe. You’re not bloodthirsty enough.”

“So you think. Perhaps I should write to Grandfather Conrí. Clearly he’s forgotten the conditions of our agreement. Is he losing his touch in his old age?” 

“Please, Jennifer, don’t be absurd. He’s as sharp as ever. Perhaps he should have sent your mother instead of me. She always could get you to do what she wanted better than I could,” her father said darkly.

Jenny scoffed. “Now who’s the one being absurd? None of you could reliably get me to do what you wanted. If you had, you wouldn’t have had to lock me in my room for a month.”

Her father look coldly down at her. “I can see that I’m getting nowhere with you. Unsurprising, given your stubborn temperament. Grandfather Conrí has decided that you will come home now. You don’t have a choice.”

He lunged forward, trying to grab her and drag her back. Jenny dodged his lunge and slipped around him. He whirled and and moved towards her again. Jenny reeled her arm back and punch him directly in the eye as hard as she could. He toppled over, falling onto his arse. Jenny kneed him in the face, breaking his nose.

“You bitch!” he snarled, flat on his back.

“Make sure to tell Grandfather exactly how you got that and tell the rest of the family to stay the bloody hell away from me!” Jenny shouted before running back to the Three Broomsticks.

She burst through the doors and made a beeline towards Riley and Scarlet. They eyed her, confused. She slipped into her seat and chugged her butterbeer, trying to calm her nerves.”

“Where did you go? Is that blood on your robes?” Riley asked, horrified.

“Yes. My bloody father came on orders from my grandfather to take me back. I objected, and we got into a little altercation. Everything’s fine now. I’m sure he’ll crawl back to the family with his tail tucked between his legs,” Jenny said firmly.

“Why didn’t you take us with you? You could have been kidnapped!” Scarlet said, horrified. 

“I was fine. You don’t need to look so worried. The only person who got hurt was my father,” Jenny insisted.

“You keep forgetting that you aren’t invincible, Jenny! You’re not even fifteen, and you act like you’re a seasoned wizard. You were kidnapped your first year, and it could happen again! Your family isn’t something you should be toying with. I’m seriously worried about what could happen if you ended up back with them again. I don’t know what we’d do. They’d make your life unbearable. Please, Jenny, be more careful,” Riley pleaded.

Jenny sighed. “Yes, alright, fine. Next time, I’ll be sure to bring my army of terrifying friends.”

“Aw, Jenny, do you think we’re terrifying?” Riley teased.

“I was, of course, talking about Fred and George,” Jenny said rudely.

“Oh, look, there they are!” Riley waved at the twins as they entered the pub. 

They grinned and walked over to them. Jenny rolled her eyes as they squeezed into their booth, squishing Riley, Scarlet, and Jenny. She tried to create some space for herself between Fred and Riley.

“What are you three ladies up to?” Fred asked jovially.

“Oh, Jenny just punched her father and ran away,” Riley said casually.

George frowned. “Didn’t you say you were estranged from your father?”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Yes, but he decided to pay me an unsolicited visit to offer his undesired opinion.”

“Is that why you hit him?” George asked.

“He tried to drag her back to family. Jenny objected,” Scarlet said.

Fred turned his head sharply in Jenny’s direction. “Are you serious? Why didn’t you say so! And why did the two of you let her run off alone?”

Riley crossed her arms. “Excuse me, we didn’t let her, she just didn’t tell us what she was doing.”

Jenny elbowed him in the side. “Shut up. Nothing bad happened to me, and I promised to bring the two of you along next time. Though how the two of you are supposed to help me more than I can help myself remains to be seen.”

“We can help!” Fred protested.

Riley glanced up and blanched. “Oh no, Draco’s here.”

“Malfoy? Where?” George said sharply.

“Please don’t fight in here. Madam Rosmerta will never let us come back and then we’ll end up at Madam Puddifoot’s or the Hogs Head,” Jenny hiss.

“The Hog’s Head is creepy but I’ll never set foot in Madam Puddifoot’s” George insisted.

“It’s not that bad,” Jenny said.

“How would you know?” Fred said suspiciously.

“I work there,” Jenny said.

“Why?” George said, horrified.

“I needed money and she was the only one who’d hire me. As horrifying as her shop is, she’s actually a very nice woman.” Jenny said through gritted teeth.

“You have such hidden depths, Jenny,” Fred said, awed. 

Jenny, furious at her family’s actions, wrote a scathing letter to her grandfather as soon as she returned from Hogsmeade. She snapped three quills before she calmed down enough to write coherently. She made at least one hole in the parchment in her anger. 

_Dear Grandfather Conrí,_

_Your pathetic attempt at returning me to the fold failed miserably, as you well know by now. I am disappointed to see that you have already tried to circumvent our agreement. I am out of patience. You will allow Emmett to write to me or I will make it my goal in life to ruin everything you have built. Please remember not to underestimate me. I wish you the best._

_Sincerely,  
Jenny_

_Dear Emmett,_

_I don’t know if you have received any of my other letters, but I am counting on this letter getting through to you. I miss you so much. I hope you are behaving for Comfort and Zeke. What is Innes like? I’m sorry I never got to meet her. The wedding is in June, right? I’m sorry I won’t be able to be there. Make sure to let Zeke know that I am very happy for the two of them. Have you been learning your maths? I am sorry I couldn’t celebrate your eighth birthday with you. You only have three and a half more years before you can go to Hogwarts! I’m sorry I won’t be with you then. I’m sure you’ll love Hogwarts as much as I did. Tell everyone I love them!_

_Love,  
Jenny_

Jenny tied the two letters together and watched Sable fly away with them. She hoped that Emmett would receive her note. She didn’t know what she would do if her grandfather prevented Emmett from writing her again. She might have to choose the last resort. 

Four days later, she got her response. She wriggled in anticipation when Sable flew to the Gryffindor table and dropped off her letter. Jenny nearly squealed when she saw Emmett’s handwriting on the envelope. 

She stroked Sable’s head. “Good girl, you are so fast. Here, have a bit of bread, and go and rest with the owls.”

She opened the letter as soon as Sable took flight. 

_Hullo Jenny,_

_I’m finally allowed to write you. Grandfather was right mad when he got your letter, but you must’ve said something very scary because he let me write you. I miss you lots. They’ve been burning the letters you send, except the Christmas gift, and they wouldn’t let me write you back because they said you weren’t part of the family anymore. Even after I begged Comfort and Zeke. Comfort almost started crying and Zeke said I would get into trouble if they found out I sent a letter to you. I still should’ve tried to send you something._

_Now that I’m allowed to write you a real letter, and not just that tiny thank you note, I’ll say more about your gifts. I put the wolf on my desk, and I wear your watch all the time. Mother frowns whenever she sees it, so I hide it with my sweaters. I wish I could’ve sent you something back. I know you said that Vova buys you whatever you want, but I still think you should get something from us too. I think about you all the time and try to remember everything you taught me._

_Changing is still terrible. I’m afraid of the moon now. I wish I never had to see it. I don’t know how you can be so calm about it. I don’t know when I’ll be allowed to write you again, so I wanted to say as much as possible this time. Don’t write me back, it will just make Mother and Father mad. Maybe I can get Kelsey to bring you a letter after she visits for Easter. I can’t wait to meet this Liam bloke. I love you lots._

_Love from,  
Emmett_

Jenny tucked the letter into her robes and blinked away the tears in her eyes. She smiled and dug into her breakfast, ignoring Fred’s and George’s curious gazes. Once she felt full, she sent down her utensils.

“I finally got my Grandfather to allow Emmett to write me. He’s doing alright. I miss him dearly, though,” Jenny said brightly.

“Well, I can’t say I like anyone in my family that much. Except for you, George,” Fred said.

“And I you. I definitely wouldn’t miss Percy if I never saw him again,” George added.

“You know who’s my Percy? Kelsey,” Jenny snapped.

“Does that make Comfort and Zeke your Bill and Charlie?” George asked.

“No, because they’re completely different. The only way they’re like Bill and Charlie is in birth order,” Jenny said coolly. 

“You’re family is a lot more uptight than ours, that’s for sure,” Fred said.

“That’s why I’m better at sneaking around than you are. You did it for fun, I did it because I needed a semblance of freedom,” Jenny said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. 

“Where’re you off to, Ms. Jenny?” Fred asked.

“Class, obviously,” Jenny said smartly, and walked off.

In History of Magic that day, Jenny contemplated how she might help Kelsey escape the Hogwarts grounds during her graduation. The trick had to do mainly with the boats. Perhaps Jenny could swap places with her? She knew that Polyjuice Potion, though difficult to brew, would work quite well in that situation. Jenny wrote down a variety of possibilities as she tuned out Professor Binns.

A few days later, Jenny headed out with Kelsey to the Forbidden Forest. Kelsey looked even paler than usual. Jenny wanted to give her a hug, but resisted the urge. Kelsey likely wouldn’t appreciate it.

“Don’t worry, Kelsey. My friends are working on a plan. Riley even wrote her father to tell him we wouldn’t be coming home for Easter. We’ll spend all of Easter break finalizing everything. You won’t have to go back to them this summer, and Liam won’t have to become a werewolf. I promise you,” Jenny said firmly. 

Only a day later, she received a letter from Jeremy. Jenny did not recognized the bird at first, then realized that Jeremy must have purchased his own messenger. The Great Horned owl regarded her solemnly as she opened Jeremy’s letter. She made sure to feed him a bit of meat. 

_Dear Jenny,_

_Is there anything you would like for your birthday? I know it is over a month away, but I am ever so bored without your company. I need a project. Edward has buried himself in his studies, so I am even more bored than usual. My tutor is sure to expire from trying to get my attention. How is school? I heard you are not coming home for Easter. I am devastated. Why have you abandoned us? Riley said you were working on some kind of project, but I’m not sure if I believe you. Did you put off all of your homework until it was too late? You know, you could always do your homework here. Besides, how can you stretch your legs at school as well as you can here? I await your explanation._

_Petulantly,  
Jeremy_

_P.S. Do you like Keren? Edward said I should use a bat instead, but I thought an owl was more my style. I love how angry she looks all of the time. She’s tried to claw out my eyes once already._

_Dear Jeremy,_

_Get over yourself. Not everything is about you. The project I am working on requires Scarlet’s help and a complete lack of distractions. I wouldn’t be able to work on it if I’m in Romania. Besides the fact, one of the components is very difficult and will likely require a potion than can’t be easily transported cross-country. As much as I would love to spend Easter holidays with you, I’m afraid I can’t. You’ll just have to wait until summer to see me. I’m sure you’ll survive. You’re so very good at entertaining yourself, aren’t you? I would love to have another one of your knitting creature monstrosities. Please pick something large and difficult. That way you won’t be moping over me, and I can see if you’ve actually gotten any better at knitting. Edward told Riley that you’ve been very depressed since we left after Christmas. I find that very amusing, as I’ve barely had time to think of you at all. You really need more recreational activities, I think. I’ll see you this summer._

_Unimpressed,  
Jenny_

_P.S. I’m not sure what you mean about Keren. She’s quite sweet. Were you rude to her? I’m sure either way, you definitely deserved it. You should be nice to your messenger, or I might steal her._

Jenny sent a reply with Keren, amused. Jeremy had far too much free time and far too responsibilities. Jenny suspected he needed some kind of calling. Jenny returned to Gryffindor Tower to find Fred and George muttering amongst themselves. They looked absolutely exhausted. Jenny plopped into a seat next to them.

“Why the long faces?” she asked.

“Harry still hasn’t gotten his broom back, and Wood’s pounding us in practice. He’s very nervous about the Ravenclaw match in April. It seems that Harry’s dementor lessons are going alright, but if he doesn’t have a decent broom to ride on, there’s no way we can win against Ravenclaw,” Fred said morosely.

“You both look so sad! I’m sure it’s not as bad as all that. There’s no way McGonagall will keep it until after the match. She wants Gryffindor to win as much as anyone. Besides, if Harry gets thrown off his broom and dies, you definitely won’t win the cup,” Jenny pointed out.

“We won’t win if Wood works us into an early grave. How am I supposed to hit a Bludger if I can’t lift my arms?” George complained.

“You know, I’m glad that I never joined the team. Wood seems way too invested in Quidditch. I don’t have the wherewithal to work that hard,” Jenny said.

“You’d be best in the Beater position, but we don’t need any more Beaters. I’d be afraid of giving you the Quaffle because I’m sure you’d chuck it at someone’s head, so Chaser and Keeper are out. You’ve got the build for a Seeker, but I doubt you’ve got Harry’s talent, no offense,” Fred mused.

“No offense taken. I prefer spectating to playing anyways. Gryffindor’s had a solid team for the last three years, so I wouldn’t want to shake that up either. Harry’s accidents are your real problem. You would’ve won two years ago if Harry hadn’t ended up in the hospital, and the only reason you lost the first match is because of the dementors. Every match that Harry has played in other than that one, he has caught the Snitch. Maybe you two should go to bed and get some rest. You look like you need it,” Jenny said.

_Dear Jenny,_

_I am very disappointed by your answer. Why so cryptic? Not to mention, I heard about your little altercation in Hogsmeade. Riley wrote Edward about it. You aren’t planning on making a go at them, are you? That’s not safe. Do you need us to come up there? I await your response._

_Worried,  
Jeremy_

_Dear Jeremy,_

_It’s adorable how worried you are about me. I’m not making a go at my family, although you’re not completely off the mark. It does have to do with my family. I have to keep it hush hush for now. You never know who might be reading your mail. I don’t need you to come up and protect me. I handled it. Riley and Scarlet already gave me a talking to, and I promised I’d take the twins next time. Though I don’t know how much help they’ll be. You have no need to worry about me, as I am completely fine._

_Exasperated,  
Jenny_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is last week's chapter. I meant to post this yesterday, but the power was out at my house all day. Hopefully, I'll post this week's chapter, "In Which Riley Wants to Take it Back".


	14. In Which Riley Wants to Take it Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley regrets her friendship with Draco. A Quidditch match tests two relationships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV
> 
> Here's this week's chapter a day late!

“Hey Riley, do you want to hear some fresh gossip?” Jenny said, sliding into her usual seat in the library.

“Jenny, we’re supposed to be working on schoolwork, not gossip. Do you want to have enough time to work on helping Kelsey during Easter holiday or not?” Scarlet said sharply. 

“Scarlet, you’re such a downer,” Jenny complained.

“Don’t listen to Scarlet. Tell me the gossip,” Riley said excitedly.

“Alright, I will. So, apparently Ron found blood on his sheets and no sign of Scabbers. He confronted Hermione and said that Crookshanks ate Scabbers. Hermione denied it, but the evidence is pretty damning. Harry tried to stay out of it but I’m pretty sure he thinks Ron’s right. I think Ron and Hermione might be over,” Jenny whispered gleefully.

“They were dating?” Riley asked.

“No, no. Their friendship. I just thought it would sound more dramatic if I said it that way,” Jenny said. 

“Oh, I hope you’re wrong. They’d be so good together,” Riley lamented.

“Are you two gossiping about Harry and his friends again? I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Scarlet said primly.

“You’re no fun! The drama! The despair! It’s better than reading _Witch Weekly_ ,” Riley said.

“I can’t believe you read that rubbish,” Scarlet said.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “You know I read Riley’s copies when she finishes them, right? They have such good stuff in there, you know. Every other week there’s a great article about how Harry’s going to be a heartthrob. I worry for him, honestly. He’s going to be smothered in girls when he gets older. Wait, does that make him your foil, Riley?” 

Riley snorted. “Absolutely not. Harry’s cute enough, but his attractiveness lies in his fame. I’m attractive because of aesthetics.”

“You two are ridiculous,” Scarlet said, exasperated.

“You’ve gotten even more serious since the Valentine’s Day debacle,” Jenny said, depressed.

“I thought we weren’t going to bring that up,” Riley hissed.

“There’s no need to whisper to yourselves. I’m quite fine, you know,” Scarlet said calmly, though her hair color flickered.

“Hey Riley, want to bet on when Davies and Cho will break off?” Jenny said loudly.

“Your tone tells me you already have an idea when,” Riley said suspiciously.

“Well, my bet is that after Gryffindor beats Ravenclaw this month, Cho and Roger will break up because Harry’s going to beat Cho,” Jenny said smugly.

“You don’t know that Gryffindor is going to beat Ravenclaw,” Scarlet said huffily.

“Rumor has it that McGonagall’s going to give Harry back the Firebolt soon,” Jenny replied.

Scarlet’s eyes narrowed. “What are your sources?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Jenny said. 

“Seriously, Jenny, how could you possibly know this?” Riley said.

“You know I spend all of my free time snooping around. I overheard McGonagall and Flitwick talking about how they only had a few more charms to test. I suspect Harry will get his broom back within the week, just in time for the match.” Jenny crossed her arms.

Scarlet nodded. “If Harry does get his broom back, it’s highly likely that he’ll catch the Snitch. The only unknown factor is the dementors.”

“They haven’t been at the last three matches. I doubt they’ll feel confident enough to come back. I don’t know why Dumbledore doesn’t get rid of the bloody things. Black already broke in once. The dementors clearly don’t really work on him.” Jenny grumbled.

“I doubt the Ministry will let him return them. It makes them feel better to think that the dementors can protect the students. Otherwise, they have no justification for keeping them around. Dementors are dangerous, harmful creatures. It’s inhumane that they’re allowed to guard Azkaban,” Scarlet said firmly.

“Ah yes, the good old Minstry. What a useless lot of bureaucrats. If I ever see the Minster I’ll sock him. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is a disgrace. The title alone is offensive,” Jenny muttered.

“Well, you’ve always known they’re a bit backward. I’m not sure what you expected,” Riley said kindly.

“You’re lucky you live in Romania and you don’t have to deal with the British Ministry.” Jenny grimaced.

“Jenny, you live in Romania too, remember?” 

“Only for the past summer! Besides, I’m technically a citizen of Scotland. I don’t supposed I could get my citizenship changed, do you?” Jenny said hopefully. 

“The Romanian Ministry isn’t that organized. My father filed paperwork with them when you came to live with us and he told me it took them three months to write back,” Riley replied.

“Have you heard of the new European Union the Muggles have formed? They finalized it in November. They’ve had an informal agreement since the 50’s, but they formally signed a treaty last year,” Scarlet added.

“Really? Fascinating. There wasn’t any mention of it in my Muggle Studies class. Although we’re supposed to start studying Muggle History next term,” Jenny said. 

They settled into a long discussion about Muggle wars, forgetting their homework completely. Jenny pulled out several books from that section of the library and they poured over them. They didn’t have any pictures like the rifle Jenny owned, much to Riley’s disappointment. 

“A lot of this is out of date. Do you think I should mention this to Madam Pince?” Scarlet said thoughtfully.

“And have her ban you from the library? That’s a terrible idea,” Jenny said firmly.

“Scarlet, let it go. With OWLs and the Fidelius Charm, you don’t really have room on your plate to argue with the librarian,” Riley said.

Scarlet sighed. “You’re right. I’m falling behind on my studying again anyways.”

Riley and Jenny exchanged amused glances. They managed to squeeze in a little homework before dinner. Riley watched Scarlet walk over to the Ravenclaw table. She seemed completely unaware of Davies and Cho Chang flirting just two seats away from her. Riley wasn’t sure if she hoped Jenny was right, or if she wanted Cho and Davies to stay together so Scarlet could get over her. 

Riley took her seat next to Jenny and Scarlet before the match. “So, did Harry end up getting his broom in time?”

“Yes, he just got it yesterday. I thought you were going to sit with Malfoy and his goons today?” Jenny said, confused.

“I couldn’t find them anywhere. Maybe they decided to skip the match,” Riley said. 

Jenny shrugged and turned her eager eyes to the field. “Well, I’m near certain Gryffindor’s going to win this time. Fred and George told me the Firebolt flies like a dream. Harry’s going to leave Cho completely in the dust. As long as the dementors don’t show up, we’ll have this in the bag.”

“I suppose so. Doesn’t seem fair though. Harry Potter’s the only Quidditch player with a Firebolt,” Scarlet commented.

“Either way, I’m really interested to see how this match turns out,” Jenny said gleefully.

They settled in the for the match. Riley felt her eyes glaze over after a bit. It seemed like a very standard game. Watching Harry circle the pitch with Cho trailing behind him couldn’t hold her interest. Riley almost dozed off on Scarlet’s shoulder. She didn’t perk up until nearly partway through the game, when Harry Potter went into a glorious dive. He pulled out without the Snitch. Likely he was trying to shake Cho. 

A few minutes later, Harry shot across the field. Riley sat straight up when she saw three cloaked figures moving across the field. Harry Potter shot a silvery mist towards them, and they toppled over. The cloaked figures revealed five Slytherins, including Draco, Gregory, and Vincent. 

“Oh, foul play! That’s low, even for Slytherin! I can’t believe Malfoy would even do that,” Jenny said in between cheering: Harry Potter held the caught Snitch high in the air. 

Riley clenched her fists. Her heart burned with searing rage. She couldn’t even cheer for the end of the match. They missed the match for this? They couldn’t even be smart enough not to get caught! Riley ground her teeth together as she marched out of the stadium. Jenny and Scarlet trailed behind her.

“I think McGonagall is scolding them right now. Do you want to wait for them to come out?” Scarlet asked.

“Oh, absolutely. I’m going to give them a piece of my mind! I can’t believe that he is so obsessed with Potter that he would risk getting expelled to get at him. This, after spending all year making fun of Harry after his accident! Not to mention, knowing what happens to me when dementors are around! Did he even think about how I would feel if I saw dementors on the field! He’s going to wish he never came up with this ridiculous idea in the first place!” Riley shouted.

“We should probably go then,” Jenny said worriedly, and the two of them left.

Riley stood at the entrance to the castle for a long time, tapping her foot in irritation. When she saw her three friends approach, she tried to calm her body so as not to give away her fury. Draco actually looked happy to see her, so she must have done a good job of it.

“You wouldn’t believe what McGonagall did! She’s given me detention! All because of a little prank I played on Potter. He overreacted. He tried to kill me with magic!” Draco complained.

Riley reached out and grabbed his ear. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU! HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA! I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH POOR SPORTSMANSHIP! IF HARRY POTTER HADN’T BEEN PREPARED, HE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPELLED! I WAS MORTIFIED WHEN I SAW WHAT YOU DID! NOT TO MENTION, YOU DRAGGED VINCENT AND GREGORY INTO IT! I BETTER NOT SEE YOU DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN!”

Riley let go and Draco slumped to the ground. “Riley?” he said, confused.

“I am so angry I don’t even know if I want to speak to you,” Riley said coldly before stalking off. 

She sat down at the Slytherin table and ate as quickly as possible. She finished by the time that Draco, Vincent, and Gregory made it into the Great Hall. She went out of her way to avoid them, and hid in the library until Jenny and Scarlet found her.

“I saw Malfoy and his minions at lunch. They looked completely shell shocked,” Jenny said as they left the library.

“I think I even heard you yelling from my table,” Scarlet added.

“Oh, that’s embarrassing. I didn’t mean to get so riled up. He just makes me so furious!” Riley muttered.

“If Fred and George pulled something like that, I’d probably also ream them a new one. What are you going to do now?” Jenny asked.

“I don’t even know. I’m not sure if I want to even talk to Draco right now. Do you know that the first thing he said to me was that McGonagall was how unfair she was for giving him detention? He’s lucky he didn’t get expelled,” Riley exclaimed.

“I dunno. I think Hogwarts is pretty lax on expulsion. Hagrid is the only one I know who’s ever been expelled from Hogwarts, and I think that’s because he’s half giant,” Jenny said.

Riley blinked. “He’s half giant? I just thought he was really tall.”

“Isn’t it obvious? He also has that look in his eye. It’s the same look that Lupin has. It’s the look when you know that the Ministry has it out for you,” Jenny explained.

“Do you have that look? I’ve never noticed it,” Scarlet said curiously.

“No, because I’m always had bigger problems than the Ministry. Also, they can kiss my arse, because I don’t give a damn about what they think,” Jenny said firmly.

“When did you get so vulgar?” Scarlet wrinkled her nose.

“When I no longer had my family looming over my shoulder,” Jenny shot back.

“No need to get testy, Jenny,” Riley said soothingly. 

“Eh, sorry. I have to leave soon. The Gryffindors are partying in the Common Room, and Fred and George are going to be wondering where I am,” Jenny said.

“Do you have to leave too, Scarlet?” Riley asked.

“No. I don’t really want to go back to Ravenclaw Tower anyways. I’m sure it will be extremely melancholy in there since we lost the match. There’s no way we can win the Cup, now that both Slytherin and Gryffindor have beaten us. It really will come down to the last match now. Though Gryffindor will have to put in a really good showing if they want to win the Cup. Slytherin’s won two matches, but Gryffindor’s only got one. They’ll have to make sure not to catch the Snitch too early or they’ll lose the Cup,” Scarlet said.

“Really? How fascinating. I hadn’t really thought of that,” Riley said. 

They wandered back to the castle, enjoying outdoors. Eventually they end up back up in the Hogwarts castle. Unfortunately, they stumbled upon a very awkward moment. Riley yanked Scarlet behind a suit of armor. She peeked around to see Cho crying and Roger looking extremely awkward.

“Our relationship is the reason we lost! I got too distracted by us dating and didn’t keep a close enough eye on the Snitch, and we lost. It was embarrassing enough that we lost against Slytherin in January. I just can’t justify it. I need to focus on Quidditch,” Cho said tearfully.

“We weren’t dating in January,” Roger protested.

“I’m not even sure you like me that much. I’ve seen you ogling that Slytherin girl, the half vampire. I know you sent her a Valentine last year. How do I know that you didn’t just settle for me because you couldn’t get her?” Cho said tearfully.

“I mean, yeah, Riley Dracula is smashing, but we have way more in common! I haven’t really looked much at her! You don’t need to be jealous!” Roger insisted.

“I know you’d drop me in a second if Dracula walked up to you and said she was interested,” Cho insisted.

“You’re barking! You’re right, we should break it off. Don’t think I didn’t see you eyeing Potter during the match. That’s the real reason you missed the Snitch!” Roger accused before stalking off. 

Riley grinned. Jenny had proven right once again: Cho and Roger broke up because Ravenclaw lost. She turned to see Scarlet looking conflicted; her hair rapidly changed colors.

“So, are you going to go comfort her?” Riley asked slyly.

“Should I? Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?” Scarlet said.

Riley gave her a shove. “Go on. You don’t know when you might get another chance.”

Scarlet shuffled nervously towards Cho. Cho was too busy crying to notice her approaching until Scarlet was right in front of her. She gave Scarlet a watery smile.

“Cho, are you alright? I heard you and Roger fighting, but I didn’t want to interrupt,” Scarlet said cautiously. 

Cho flung herself into Scarlet’s arms. “I’m just so upset. Roger and I broke up because I did so badly in the match! I let Harry Potter distract me when I should have been focused on the Snitch! I knew Roger was getting bored of me because he kept staring at that Slytherin girl!”

Scarlet patted her shoulder awkwardly. “I’m so sorry. Roger is a bit of an idiot, for all he’s a Ravenclaw. Come on, let’s go back to the Tower. I’m sure you’ll feel better after you sit by the fire for a while.”

Riley watched Scarlet lead Cho away with a smile on her face. She went to the kitchens instead of the Slytherin Common Room; she didn’t want to run into Draco, Vincent, or Gregory. Zeepy greeted her enthusiastically when she entered.

“I have not seen Ms. Riley in a while! Ms. Jenny visits us all the time and keeps asking us if there’s anything we want. Zeepy keeps telling Ms. Jenny that we are all very happy and we do not want anything from her. Ms. Jenny insists on giving us thank you notes. Zeepy is running out of places to put them,” Zeepy said as Riley took a seat.

She placed a platter full of treats in front of Riley. Riley immediately began devouring them, realizing how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten enough lunch in her hurry to avoid Draco. Morrey wandered over eventually and took his usual seat next to Riley.

Riley closed her eyes and soaked in a sense of peace. Morrey played with her hair as she savored another pastry. Riley had been so busy she hadn’t had time to visit the house-elves much, and she regretted it now. 

“Morrey has missed Ms. Riley. Hogwarts is not as fun when Morrey does not get to see Ms. Riley,” Morrey whispered.

“I missed you too, Morrey. I have been so busy with schoolwork and my family that I haven’t had much free time. I’m glad that I decided to come to the kitchens today,” Riley replied.

It was nearly dinnertime when Riley finally left the kitchen. She shuffled reluctantly to the Great Hall, trying not to look at the Slytherin table. She saw Pansy Parkinson sitting very close to Draco. She did not feel jealous this time, only disappointed in Draco for his continued low standards. She sat away from them at the end of the table. She stared at her plate and ignored Draco as she picked at her food. 

She tried to escape straight to her room after that, but Vincent and Gregory stopped her in the Common Room. “We’re sorry, Riley. Malfoy said it would be a good idea because Potter would lose his nerve and Gryffindor would lose the match. He said it would guarantee that Slytherin would win the Cup,” Gregory said; Vincent grunted in affirmation.

“I’m very disappointed in both of you. I thought you knew better. You deserve all of the detentions you’re going to get. I need some time before I can forgive you. I’m not even sure if I want to forgive Draco at all,” Riley said coolly before marching up to her room. 

When Riley arrived in the Great Hall the next day, she noted the worried faces at the Gryffindor table, and that the other three tables were ogling and whispering amongst themselves. She sat next to Gregory and ignored Draco completely.

She found out what had the Gryffindors so worried in Divination that morning. Jenny started whispering to her as soon as she took her seat.

“Sirius Black broke into Gryffindor Tower last night. He tried to attack Ron Weasley, but Ron woke up and started bellowing. Black ran away when the other boys woke up. Apparently he stole Neville Longbottom’s list of passwords, so Sir Cadogan let him in,” Jenny whispered as they waited for Professor Trelawney.

“Really? How did he get Neville’s passwords?” Riley said.

“He must have left them somewhere. McGonagall was furious when she found out. I don’t blame him, honestly. Cadogan changed the passwords all the time, sometimes twice a day. Poor Neville couldn’t have possibly kept track of him. McGonagall said he’s not allowed to know the password now. Good news is, the Fat Lady’s back. She has troll guards now to protect her. They’re scary blokes, but they make her feel safe. Not sure if that would stop Black, though. I mean, if he can get past Dementors, what’s to say he can’t get past a couple of trolls?” Jenny flipped idly through her Divination textbook.

“Is Ron alright?” Riley asked. 

“Oh, yeah. He’s milking it for all it’s got. Hermione looked terrible when she heard the news, but Ron’s still not talking to her. I feel terrible for her. She spends most of her time at Hagrid’s because Harry spends all of his time with Ron,” Jenny said.

“Oh, dear. Should we invite her to our study group?” Riley said.

Jenny shook her head. “I offered, but she refused. She said she needed to focus on her studies and on Buckbeak’s trial. He’s supposed to have a hearing soon.”

“That’s the hippogriff that attacked Draco, right? He deserved it,” Riley said coldly.

“I agree, but that’s unlike you. You’re still mad about the Quidditch match, aren’t you? I get it, but we still won the match, and he’s getting punished for it. I don’t understand why you’re still so mad at him. You forgave him faster for what he said to Hermione,” Jenny pointed out.

“I expect more from him now. I think I’ve been too lenient. If I’d been firmer with him, he might not have pulled that stunt,” Riley said huffily.

“I dunno. He really wants to beat Harry. I think it was too tempting to resist. You know he’d do anything to get one up on him,” Jenny said skeptically.

“I don't know what I’m going to do. It’s all twisted up with my feelings about him, and my feelings for Professor Snape,” Riley confessed.

“I see. Well, maybe you should take some time away from him, since he’s upsetting you so much,” Jenny said.

A week and a half later, Riley almost considered forgiving Draco. That is, until she heard him boasting about Buckbeak’s trial. She had gone to the Common Room to try and work it out with him when she heard him.

“That beast is going to be executed. My father made sure of it. I can’t wait to see that oaf bawl over his pet monster. Not to mention, it’ll upset Potter. He got one over me at the Quidditch match, but this will put him in his place,” Draco gloated.

“Really, Draco. I didn’t think you could sink any lower. I shouldn’t have been surprised to hear you bragging about getting an animal slaughtered because you were so arrogant that you provoked him,” Riley said coolly.

Draco flushed. “My arm was injured for months! It might never be the same again.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “Really? Because you had no probably beating Diggory and Chang to the Snitch. Your arm must not be that damaged.” She swept through the Common Room before Draco could respond.

Draco faced actual consequences just a few days later. Riley managed to get the Slytherin Common Room to herself one afternoon. She was working her way through her Durmstrang notes when Draco burst into the room, looking absolutely furious. Riley noted a red mark on his cheek.

“Granger slapped me! I can’t believe that frumpy witch would dare lay a hand on me! She’s out of control. I was just commenting on that beast’s trial when she attacked me out of nowhere. I tried to go to Professor Snape, but he said he couldn’t do anything because it was my word against Granger’s. He tried to go to McGonagall but she pointed out the Quidditch incident and he couldn’t do anything. Especially after he stuck up for me after Potter attacked me in Hogsmeade. This is unbelievable. My father will hear about this!” he complained.

“Really? You’re going to tell your father that you got hit by a Muggleborn witch? You think he’s going to take you seriously?” Riley said rudely.

Draco paused. “I didn’t see you there, Riley. You’re been cold to me for weeks. I don’t understand why. I did what any Slytherin would do. You forgave Crabbe and Goyle. Why won’t you forgive me?”

Riley crossed her arms. “Vincent and Gregory apologized to me almost immediately and recognized what they did was wrong. You still insist that you’re blameless. When you stop acting like a prat, I’ll forgive you.”

She left the Common Room to go back to the library. She found Jenny and Scarlet buried in their homework. With a wince, Riley remember her own unfinished assignments.

“I thought you were going to be in the Slytherin Common Room reading about Durmstrang?” Scarlet said, surprised.

Riley sighed. “I was going to, but Draco interrupted me. Apparently, Hermione Granger slapped him.”

Jenny started laughing so hard she almost fell out of her chair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually like Cho just fine as a character, but she is a teenager, so she's a bit dramatic. I'm not sure how much of her interactions with Harry in TOOTP have to do with her Cedric-related trauma, but I tried to make her someone who's very dedicated to Quidditch, but who also has volatile pubescent emotions. Hope I did her justice! 
> 
> Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Jenny and Her Friends Help Her Sister".


	15. In Which Jenny and Her Friends Help Her Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny, Riley, and Scarlet work on their plan to save Jenny's sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

Riley, Jenny, and Scarlet sat in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, working on their plan to save Kelsey. Scarlet had been reading up and practicing the Fidelius Charm for months. Riley had searched the listings in London to find a good house. She had narrowed it down to two options. Jenny had just started her Polyjuice Potion.

“Are we really going to use that?” Riley asked skeptically.

“Of course! You and Scarlet are going to switch out with Kelsey and Liam so that it’s not suspicious when you disappear. It’s a good thing that you both have transformation abilities. Riley can transform into a bat and you can Metamorphagus your face so that you don’t look like Kelsey and Liam when you arrive at King’s Cross. Of course, it’d be better if it wore off by the time you got there. I can’t tell you how long it’ll last. It usually wears off sooner than later,” Jenny explained.

“Why don’t you have to transform?” Riley complained.

“Because I’m going to be the Secret Keeper. That means that I’m the only one who can tell them where their house is,” Jenny said coolly.

“We already worked this out, Riley, don’t you remember?” Scarlet said, waving her wand and concentrating hard. 

“I was just hoping I’d get a different answer. Jenny, help me pick which one will be better for them.” Riley showed her the properties in her booklet.

Jenny pointed to one of the pictures. "That one. It looks homey, and it has several bedrooms. No doubt my sister will want to have children. It’s more cheerful than the other one too. It’s not to far from a park. Kelsey said she wanted to work in Diagon Alley. It’s a good thing that my parents are such recluses and they have no reason to go there until Emmett’s eleven. I told her it was a bad idea, but she was insistent. Are there any job listings?”

Riley opened the latest copy of the _Daily Prophet_. “Olivander is advertising that he’s looking for someone to dust and organize his shelves. He has so many wands in there I’m surprised he can even find anything. Madam Malkin’s needs a new seamstress.”

Jenny nodded. “Maybe Liam will like sorting wands. Kelsey’s very good at domestic chores, so she’ll be a shoe in for the seamstress job. Liam’s a Muggleborn though, so he might want to get a job in the Muggle world.”

“Oh, really? Doing what? Hogwarts doesn’t exactly have transferable skills to the Muggle world,” Scarlet said, interested.

“I dunno. Kelsey didn’t say.” Jenny took the _Daily Prophet_ and set it aside. 

She would make sure to give it to Kelsey when she returned from Easter holiday. Jenny eyed her lacewing stew carefully. She looked over her other ingredients: she had ordered everything last week and it had arrived just on time. 

Myrtle swooped in from one the of the stalls. “What are you brewing in here? It looks like the potion Harry and his friends made last year.”

Jenny grinned. “I thought that’s what happened to Hermione!”

Jenny worked out the kinks in her plan in the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron and Hermione had reconciled recently, which meant Hermione went back to spending all her time with him and Harry. Ron now devoted his spare time to working on Buckbeak’s appeal. Jenny had to applaud him; Ron never did any kind of studying or reading when he could help it.

“Did you find anything that would help Buckbeak?” she asked him one evening.

“Unfortunately, no. What’re you working on? That doesn’t look like schoolwork to me,” Ron said curiously.

Jenny moved the papers out of his eyesight. “Oh, just a little side project for my sister.”

“This isn’t like one of Fred’s and George’s terrible pranks, is it?” Ron said worriedly.

Jenny shook her head. “No, no. My stunts are much more subtle. That’s why I never get caught.”

Jenny wracked her brain for transportation. How would she get Kelsey and Liam to their new home? Apparation would be far too conspicuous. The Knight Bus was a possibility. She had ridden it once before and found it rather tedious. She would need to set them up with a little seed money too. She had a lot of savings now that Vova bought all of her Wolfsbane ingredients. She could set them up with a bank account in Gringotts, or possibly a Muggle bank. 

Jenny scribbled out a few more notes before tucking her papers away. They needed to plan an outing to go and see the house in London and purchase it. They would need Muggle money as well. Jenny tapped her chin thoughtfully. Perhaps a Muggle bank account would be safer for them than one in Gringotts. 

Jenny visited her Polyjuice Potion every day to check on its progress. Myrtle usual hovered nearby and offered unsolicited comments. Usually Jenny could tune her out, but one afternoon she just couldn’t take it anymore.

“Myrtle, please! I’m trying to focus,” Jenny snapped.

“You don’t have to be so cruel. Harry Potter told me he would visit me and he never has! I know no one likes Moaning Myrtle because she’s fat and ugly! I’ll be alone forever and no one will talk to me!” Myrtle wailed before diving into the toilet in the stall next to Jenny.

Jenny grimaced as the splashed toilet water soaked her robes. She finished inspecting the potion and then dried her robes before leaving the bathroom. She bumped into Hermione on the way out. Hermione looked very frazzled. 

“Are you alright, Hermione?” Jenny asked.

“Hmm.. yes, just needed the bathroom,” Hermione mumbled distractedly. 

“You know this is Myrtle’s bathroom, right?” Jenny pointed out.

“Of course I do! What are you doing here anyway?” Hermione said, eyes sharpening.

“Brewing potions I shouldn’t be. What’s it to you? I know you brewed a potion in here last year,” Jenny said coolly.

“I supposed you’re right. I need to go back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry and Ron are waiting for me,” Hermione said.

“Say hello to them for me. By the way, I’m glad that you made up with them. I was worried about you for a bit.” Jenny patted her shoulder.

Hermione beamed. “Ron finally got over himself and decided we could be friends again, thank goodness. I’m so busy with my classwork that I didn’t have time to work on Buckbeak’s appeal, so Ron offered to take over for me. I barely have any time as it is, even though I dropped Divination.”

“You dropped Divination? It’s my favorite class. You’re going to miss out on some very interesting classwork next year,” Jenny said.

Hermione wrinkled her nose. “I think not. Divination is for quacks.”

Jenny shook her head. “Hermione, Divination is for fun! You’re way too serious about your coursework. Do you think I’d be so good at Potions if I didn’t enjoy spiting Snape at every moment?”

Hermione sniffed. “Some of us take school a little more seriously than you do. You sound like the twins.”

Jenny snickered. “Thank you. I take my classes a little more seriously than that, but I appreciate the compliment.”

Hermione rolled her eyes before heading to find another bathroom. Jenny walked leisurely to the library, where Scarlet and Riley waited for her. Riley was spending more time with them than usual, now that she was fighting with Malfoy. It reminded Jenny of their first year at Hogwarts. A part of her wished that Riley never made up with Malfoy so they could spend more time together. 

Jenny, Scarlet, and Riley took the Knight Bus one Saturday morning. They held onto each other as the bus nearly knocked them out of their seats multiple times. Jenny leaned away from Ernie’s grin as they exited the bus. Jenny straightened her monstrosity of a sweater and flicked her ponytail over her shoulder. Scarlet looked at everything with interest; she had borrowed Muggle clothes from Jenny and Riley. Riley looked like a goth princess in her black dress. 

They wandered along the street until they spotted the house. Jenny grinned at the charming two story yellow house with white trim. They loitered out on the street; Jenny with her giant bag of Muggle pounds, Scarlet with her large sunhat, and Riley with her large black veil. 

The real estate agent stared at them when she drove up to the house. “Are you the buyers? You look a little… young.”

“We’re here on behalf of our father. He’s quite ill, but he was excited when he saw this charming house was on the market,” Jenny said congenially.

“I see. Well, come along and I’ll show you the interior,” she said, skeptically.

The three of them followed her into the house. She took them room by room. Jenny noted the sturdy walls and beautiful interiors. Scarlet cooed at the bathrooms, which had beautiful plumbing. Riley nodded at everything the real estate agent said. Jenny grinned when they went into the basement. It had a lot of potential.

At the end of their tour, the real estate agent turned to the three of them. “So, what do you think?”

“Look’s great. We’ll take it,” Jenny said.

“I have the documents with me to sign the lease. We’ll also have to discuss your payment plan. As you know, the price of this house is 250,000 pounds,” the real estate agent said.

“Oh, we don’t need a payment plan,” Jenny said, opening her giant duffle bag. 

The real estate watched in horror as Jenny began stacking 50 pound notes on the table. She stacked 50 straps until she had the correct amount. Jenny grinned.

“This is the correct amount, right?” Jenny asked. 

The real estate agent gulped. “We don’t usually accept cash…”

“Look, we’re paying you upfront for the full amount. I don’t see the problem here,” Jenny said firmly.

The real estate agent sighed. She counted all of the money, inspecting the bills carefully. When she finished, she packed it all into her briefcase. Jenny signed the lease under Kelsey’s name, forging the signature. Kelsey had turned eighteen on January 12, old enough to own property in London. The real estate handed them their copies of the document and hurried away.

“She definitely thought we were criminals, didn’t she?” Riley said.

“Oh absolutely. It would’ve been better if your father could have come, but he doesn’t do well in the daytime. Now that that’s taken care of, we’ll have to make sure everything’s ready for Kelsey and Liam. We’ll need furniture, cleaning, and decorations. Riley, I’m putting you in charge of that. My sister likes warm, comfortable interiors. If you could include some badger and wildlife iconography, I’m sure she would love it. Vova said he would pay for everything. Don’t make it too expensive. Kelsey will want to pay him back so we don’t want to make the bill too big. Maybe we should call in Jeremy and Edward? They could help set up the house while we’re still in school,” Jenny said thoughtfully as they locked up the house and signaled for the night bus.

Riley pulled out a furniture catalogue and started flipping through it on the bus. “Do you think we should hire an interior designer?”

Jenny shook her head. “No need. Jeremy said Edward’s got an eye for it. The two of them can handle painting and any set up. Jeremy told me he was dead bored in the castle in his last letter. I’ll write to him this evening.” 

_Dear Jeremy,_

_I have a little project for you, if you choose to accept it. We’ve purchased a house in London, and we need someone to prepare it before summer is over. The three of us are busy with school. Riley’s selecting the furniture and colors. I know Edward’s got a talent for interior design. Would you like to come up to London and take care of the house? I’d really appreciate it if you could. I know there’s a basement where you and Edward could sleep to get out of the sun. You’d need to answer the door sometimes during the day for deliveries. I’ll send you a note once Riley’s made her orders. If you come to Diagon Alley, I’ll give you the keys. What do you think?_

_Most humbly,  
Jenny_

_Dear Jenny,_

_When I read your letter, I almost jumped with excitement! I’d love to set the house up for you. Edward said he’d like a change of pace. We’ll be painting and decorating, correct? I assume we’d also be in charge of keeping things clean. I’ve rarely had to do menial labor before. I look forward to it. Your father says he’ll come with us and stay with Aunt Amora. We’ll meet you in Hogsmeade next week._

_Missing you,  
Jeremy_

Jenny knocked on Lupin’s door one Saturday afternoon. He opened the door and waved her in. Jenny took the seat across from him and eyed him carefully. He seemed as weary as ever.

“You’re still taking Wolfsbane every month, aren’t you?” Jenny asked carefully.

Lupin looked surprised. “Of course I am.”

Jenny sighed. “You look very tired. You look worse than any other werewolf I’ve met.”

“You know, Ms. Jones, most of this is due to the fact that I’ve lived the past twenty years on my own. I’ve spent some time in the company of other werewolves, but mostly I’ve spent the full moon with no one for company,” he said sharply.

“I’m sorry, Professor. It’s just… I worry about you. I’ve had the luck to have grown up in a pack and then taking Wolfsbane early. It wasn’t even invented when you were in school, was it? Are you going to be okay this summer?” Jenny eyed him closely.

Lupin sighed. “It’s not your job to worry about me. I’ll be quite alright.”

“I don’t know. From my knowledge, you won’t last after this year. You do know the Defense Against the Dark Arts position is cursed, right? No one’s held the position for more than a year in ages. The professor in my first year was dragged into the lake by the Giant Squid. She quit right after,” Jenny pointed out.

“I’ll be just fine,” Lupin insisted.

“Your funeral,” Jenny said, sighing. 

She found Scarlet and Riley afterward to cheer herself up. Both of them had been working on their homework in the library. Riley smiled when she came to join them.

“How is Lupin?” Riley asked.

“Unconcerned about the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position,” Jenny grumbled.

“I’m not sure it’s actually cursed, Jenny,” Scarlet said firmly.

“Really? Then why has there been a different professor every year since 1957, huh?” Jenny said. 

“Are you sure, Jenny?” Riley asked skeptically.

Jenny groaned. “I’m extremely sure. I looked up staffing records for the past one hundred years. There’s been new Defense Teacher every year since Dumbledore became headmaster. Maybe he’s responsible for it? I could see him changing professors because he’d find it amusing.”

Scarlet gasped. “How could you say that? Professor Dumbledore is an esteemed wizard.” 

“Just because he’s an esteemed professor doesn’t mean he can’t love messing with people. Regardless, there’s no denying that the DADA position has been a revolving door for decades. Did you know “revolving door” is a Muggle phrase? Apparently they invented these doors that spin and you don’t actually open and close them, you just push through until you reach your exit. It’s fascinating,” Jenny said.

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “Maybe you should stop talking about revolving doors and finish your Muggle Studies essay.”

Jenny and Riley met Jeremy and Edward in Hogsmeade on Sunday. Jenny used one of the passages Fred and George showed her to sneak out of Hogwarts. Riley and Jenny used their cloaks to hid their faces as they walked down the lane. Jenny lead them to Madam Puddifoot’s to wait. Madam Puddifoot smiled when she saw them.

“Is there anything you would like to eat or drink?” she asked kindly.

“Hot cocoa, please,” said Jenny.

“Do you make lattes?” Riley asked.

“Of course. It will be just a moment,” Madam Puddifoot said.

Jenny and Riley had nearly finished their drinks when Edward and Jeremy arrived at the teashop. Jeremy wrinkled his nose upon entering. Riley and Jenny set down their cups and said goodbye to Madam Puddifoot before ushering Edward and Jeremy outside.

“You really work here? I’d never guess you worked somewhere so girly,” Jeremy said skeptically.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “It’s good work and Madam Puddifoot is very kind. I don’t care about your opinion about my workplace. Here are the keys.”

Jeremy took the keys with a grin. “The more I get to know you, the less I understand.”

“I’m an enigma, I know,” Jenny said.

Riley handed the catalogue over to Edward. “These are the things I ordered. I ordered a couple of cots for you ahead of time that should arrive this afternoon. If you take the Knight Bus, you should arrive in time. I’ve made notes on when deliveries are arriving so you know when to wake up for them.” 

“Thank you, Riley. I brought my alarm clock just in case.” Edward tucked the catalogue into his bag.

“We got you painting supplies as well. Don’t mess up,” Jenny said firmly.

“Don’t worry, Jenny. Edward’s a perfectionist and I have no desire to disappoint you. We’ll do our very best. I promise,” Jeremy said seriously.

“You have until June 26th to finish everything. I’m sure you can figure it out.” Jenny gave Jeremy a hug.

Jeremy squeezed her back. “I won’t let you down.”

Jenny waved the Knight Bus down for them before she returned to Hogwarts with Riley. Jenny felt a wait lift off of her chest. Her plan was coming together. Riley had started putting together a house for Kelsey and Liam. Scarlet had made significant progress in perfecting the Fidelius Charm. Jenny had started the Polyjuice Potion. Soon, Jenny would free Kelsey from her family’s clutches and save Zeke’s wife from being turned into a werewolf. 

_Dear Jenny,_

_The house is fantastic. Edward and I have started prepping the house for painting. We received the paint and painting supplies on a few days after our arrival. I can’t say the cots are too comfortable, but I’m excited about this project. Edward’s happier than I’ve seen him in ages. I think he was getting a bit bored of all of the studying. We’ll start the real painting soon._

_Fondly,  
Jeremy_

_Dear Jenny,_

_I think Edward might have actually giggled when we started painting. Maybe Riley should go into interior design. The paint choices she made a very nice, and the furniture that’s been delivered is perfect. I ruined one of my favorite sweaters before I realized that you should wear clothes you don’t care about when you paint.Edward was very unimpressed by the entire thing. We’ve mostly been working at night with the lights on. We’ve still got a lot of rooms to paint, but I can tell you that everything’s going really well._

_Full of paint,  
Jeremy_

Jenny smiled when she read Jeremy’s second letter. Easter Break would end in just a few days, and Kelsey would return from her parents. Jenny eagerly awaited her return. She couldn’t wait to tell Kelsey all about her new home. 

When Jenny saw Kelsey and Liam in the hallway the next week, she ran up to them excitedly. “How was Easter vacation? Can I have Kelsey for a bit? I have so many things to talk about with her.”

Kelsey gave Liam a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you later. I have to talk to Jenny for a bit. Wait in the Common Room for me?”

“Of course,” Liam said before leaving.

Jenny dragged Kelsey to a deserted hallway. “How did Easter holiday go? Did they make him take an Unbreakable Vow?” 

Kelsey shook her head. “Thankfully no. I told them that I wasn’t ready to tell Liam about werewolves but that we would reveal everything after graduation. I said that I wanted a little more time with him in case he didn’t accept me for who I was.”

Jenny nodded. “Good, good. That will make it a lot easier. I just wanted you to know that we’ve purchased a house for you in London and Riley’s cousin is getting it ready for you. Scarlet is working on a charm to hide you, and I’ve got a plan for your escape in the works. You’re going to be safe, Kelsey. I promise you.”

Kelsey’s eyes watered. “I can’t believe you’re doing this for me, after all I did to you before you left. I must be the last person you wanted to help. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you have my back. I’ll repay you for the home.”

Jenny patted her shoulder awkwardly. “Don’t get so worked up. First of all, the last person in the world I would want to help is Snape. Secondly, I know what our family is like, and I know why you acted that way. You were just as trapped as I was, even if we had different cages. I had outside help, or else I never would have left. It’s only fair that I extend that outside help to you. If I could help all our our siblings, I would.”

Kelsey hugged her tightly and started sobbing into her shoulder. Jenny patted her arm gently and murmured soothing words. They stood in the hallway for a long time before Kelsey let her go.

“How are we going to break this to Liam?” Kelsey asked, her voice wobbling.

“Once I have the plan in place, you should tell Liam everything. If he can’t handle it, we’ll erase his memory and still go through with the plan. I’m sure he loves you enough that he can deal with it, werewolf family and all,” Jenny said firmly.

“I hope so. I don’t know what I’ll do if Liam…” Kelsey trailed off, tearing up again.

“You’ll follow through on the plan, and find someone else. But, and I stand by this, he’s not going to reject you. I’ve seen how much he loves you. Everything will be fine. The only thing I’m worried about is how pissed Grandfather Conrí’s going to be when he finds out it was me.” Jenny laughed.

“Oh, don’t say that, Jenny. I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Kelsey said worriedly. 

“Kelsey, Kelsey, Kelsey. I live to be trouble. It’s actually been a bit boring this year because I hadn’t had any reason to antagonize someone. You’re doing me a favor, really. By the way, I found an advert for you. Madam Malkin’s is looking for a new seamstress. Are you interested?” Jenny handed over the clipping.

Kelsey smiled. “Thank you, Jenny! I’ll apply right away. I hope she doesn’t mind waiting until June. I still want to take my NEWTs.”

“And I thought you weren’t that interested in school. Do you have money to use the school owls?” Jenny asked.

“I have money, but… Mother always asks for monthly reports of my expenses. She’ll notice if I send a letter,” Kelsey bit her lip.

“It’s fine. I’ll cover it. After all, I have to pay you back somehow for when you stepped in so I could go to Hogsmeade last year,” Jenny said, handing her some coins.

Kelsey shook her head. “You’re already more than making up for it. You know that as well as I. I’ll pay you back.”

“Kelsey, that’s ridiculous,” Jenny protested.

Kelsey glared at her. 

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Fine, you can pay me back when you get your new house.” 

Kelsey smiled. She gave Jenny another hug before racing off to find Liam. Jenny felt something in her chest fill. She realized that she had been missing her family more than she thought. Jenny sighed and went to find Scarlet and Riley. Term started tomorrow and they still had homework to finish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have several thoughts about this chapter:
> 
> 1\. I thought about Jenny having a blank check from Riley's dad, but the duffel bag is funnier.
> 
> 2\. So technically, Voldemort cursed the position after Dumbledore rejected him, so for about fifty years there was a new professor every year. Some people try to argue that it didn't start until after Voldemort died, but the text is pretty clear that it was after he was rejected that he cursed the position. How did this only start getting noticed in the 90s? I mean, JKR probably didn't think this through but the concept is HILARIOUS.
> 
> 3\. If you haven't picked it up already, I see Dumbledore as a secret Slytherin who is CONSTANTLY playing 4D chess. Also he loves doing shady shit just for the drama. 
> 
> 4\. The more I try to write from a perspective other than Harry's, the less sense the HP universe makes. It is SO HARD to write logically consistent. 
> 
> 5\. Jenny has a lot of complicated feelings about her siblings. She's never gotten along well with Kelsey, but she can't help her other siblings, and she does care about her. In helping Kelsey, she feels less helpless. 
> 
> Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Riley Wants to Know More"


	16. In Which Riley Wants to Know More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the final match, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin! Riley gets petty revenge, and dreams about Clara. There are several kisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

Riley sighed, dragging her hand over her face. The last couple of days had been a trial. She had kept away from Jenny and Scarlet almost entirely, due to the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin tensions. Any Slytherin in close contact with a Gryffindor fell under immediate suspicion. Especially if they happened near any of the Quidditch players. Since Jenny spent all her time with Fred and George, Riley stayed far away from her. Unfortunately, that meant she spent all of her time with Draco, Gregory, and Vincent. Riley was still very upset with Draco over his actions during the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor match in April. 

“How long are you actually going to hate Malfoy for?” Jenny asked midway through the first week of term.

“Until I think he has been justly punished,” Riley said airily.

“Karmically or literally?” Jenny prodded.

“We’ll just have to see,” Riley said mysteriously.

“You know, I’m really glad I never got on your bad side,” Jenny said fervently.

“Really? You think you’re any more merciful than I am?” Riley pointed out.

Jenny tilted her head thoughtfully. “I suppose. I don’t drag it out. My retribution is usually immediate and short lived. Although, none of my friends are racists.”

Riley frowned. “I haven’t heard him say that word since third year.”

Jenny gave her a look. “You know he uses it when you’re not around, right?”

“Have you heard him say it?” Riley said sharply.

“No, but I’ve heard from other people. He’s not stupid enough to say it in front of me,” Jenny said.

Riley sighed. “Until I hear it myself, I can’t judge what he says. He’s misguided. You know his father…”

“Having terrible parents does not give you an excuse to be a prat. Look at me. Hell, look at Harry Potter. His aunt and uncle are right abusive from what I’ve heard and he’s the most heroic person I’ve met. You could almost say too heroic,” Jenny said flatly.

“You know it’s different in Slytherin,” Riley protested.

“Slytherin should change, then. A culture that toxic can’t be good for impressionable young students,” Jenny replied.

“I wish I could change it, but you know how unpopular I am. Draco would never take me seriously in that either. You know how proud he is of our House,” Riley said.

Jenny frowned at her. “You be careful. At some point he’s going to cross the line, and you’re going to have to decide where your loyalties lie.”

Riley crossed her arms. “It’s not about loyalties!”

Jenny walked to her next class. “If you think that you’re delusional!”

“Jenny doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Riley muttered to herself.

On the day of the match, Riley walked with Gregory and Vincent to the stands. She had stayed away from them because they spent all of their time with Draco, but she had the chance to spend time with them while Draco competed in the match. Jenny and Scarlet sat with her in the stands, even though Jenny almost always sat with the other Gryffindors. Jenny wore her most obnoxious Gryffindor clothes, including the sweater Jeremy made her for Christmas, despite the warm weather. She waved her scarf in the air while cheering. 

“I have a good feeling about this match,” Jenny said.

Scarlet frowned. “Do you think Gryffindor is going to win?”

“Not sure, but that’s not what I’m excited about. I can tell this match is going to be full of fouls,” Jenny said gleefully.

Riley snorted. “Of course that’s the part you care about.”

Jenny hooted loudly as the teams walked onto the field. Riley felt a pang of irritation as she noted Draco’s shiny blond head. Why couldn’t he just apologize for his behavior? Jenny clapped her hands excitedly as the players flew into the air. Riley noted the Slytherin team’s smooth coordination. They moved as a well oiled machine. 

As Jenny expected, the match soon turned violent. Madam Hooch blew her whistle so much it made Riley’s head ache. Slytherin players kept fouling the players, sometimes so badly that the Gryffindors started yelling. Lee Jordan made sure everyone knew his opinion about that. Riley grimaced when she saw Draco on the field. She could tell by his posture that he was smirking. Riley felt a flush of rage sweep through her body.

“Go, Go, Gryffindor!” Jenny shouted. 

Riley, still steaming about Draco, had a sudden epiphany. Her mind rang with strong purpose. She turned to Gregory, who looked back, completely baffled. She grabbed his robes and pulled him towards her, fitting her mouth against his. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pushed her fingers into his hair. She touched her tongue against his mouth, encouraging him to open it. Gregory gasped and Riley slipped her tongue to slide against his. Her body tingled with excitement and Riley actually fell into enjoying the kiss. 

Jenny bumped into Riley, jarring her. Riley let go of Gregory and pulled her mouth away from him. He stared at her with his mouth gaping. Vincent had missed the entire incident, as he had fallen asleep in his seat. Riley straightened her clothes and patted her hair back into place.

“Thank you, Gregory. That was a wonderful diversion. You won’t tell Draco about this, will you?” Riley said, casually. 

Gregory blinked. “Uh…”

“We’ll just forget this ever happened,” Riley said, handing him a sweet out of her pocket.

Jenny frowned at her. “What just happened? Is your lipstick smudged?” 

Riley waved her off. “It was nothing. Who’s winning?”

Jenny grinned. “Gryffindor, but they’re racking up the points. Wood’s worked out a strategy so we win the Cup.”

Riley, having poured out her anger now, actually turned to watch the match with interest. She watched Harry streak across the field and snatch the Snitch before raising his arm victoriously. The stadium erupted. She could see a furious Draco throw his broom in anger. Riley suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. After months of blowing him off, Riley couldn’t help but feel bad for him. She gave Jenny an absentminded pat on the shoulder before leaving the stadium with Vincent and Gregory. Vincent had to tug Gregory back on track several times because he kept wandering off dazedly. 

Draco stormed out of the Quidditch locker room looking absolutely furiously. “Bloody Potter cheated! I was going to get the Snitch but he used his broom to outfly me! Firebolts should be banned from school games! Slytherin deserved the Cup!” 

“I see your obsession with Harry Potter hasn’t waned. Perhaps this is karma for you trying to sabotage him during the Ravenclaw-Gryffindor match,” Riley said dryly. 

Draco stopped short. “Riley, I didn’t see you there. I thought you weren’t talking to me.”

Riley shrugged. “I feel better after watching you get humiliated. Hopefully this will teach you a lesson in sportsmanship.”

Draco gave her a small smile. “At least there’s one good thing about this horrendous day. Potter’s going to smirk at me forever after this!”

“Draco, you really should try and focus on other things. Do you think your father will get you a Firebolt?” Riley asked gently.

“You know he won’t. He brought up that I only got the Nimbus 2001 last year. He said if my broom gets destroyed he might consider buying me a Firebolt, but that’s only if I can prove I didn’t break it myself,” Draco complained.

Riley giggled. “Your father knows you very well, Draco.” 

She wandered back to the castle with her three friends. Draco moped for the rest of the afternoon, so Riley took them to the lake. At least she could enjoy the weather while Draco pouted. Gregory refused to look at her at all. Riley suspected he might be confused and embarrassed about their kiss during the Quidditch match. Riley napped in the sunshine with her black sun hat pulled over her eyes. 

When she woke up, she turned to see Draco sitting beside her. He seemed to have calmed down, and smiled warmly down at her. Riley blushed and sat up. She felt a twinge of guilt. Should she tell Draco about her kiss with Gregory? She couldn’t fathom any situation where he would be happy about it. The one benefit is that he might forget about Harry Potter for a moment. Riley almost considered telling him for that reason alone, but she kept her mouth shut. 

They walked slowly back to the castle together. Draco had worn himself out for the time being, so he actually kept quiet. Gregory and Vincent trailed behind them. When Riley turned around to check on them, Gregory blushed beet red and stared at the ground. Riley whipped her head back and hoped Draco didn’t notice. 

“The only consolation I have is knowing that beast that Hagrid loves is going to be executed soon, and that Potter will be devastated. Perhaps I would have told my father to be lenient if Slytherin had won the Cup,” Draco said savagely at dinner.

Riley grit her teeth. She knew Draco was still upset about losing, so she let his cruelty slide. Her mood cheered when she glanced down the table to see Pansy Parkinson glaring at her. Riley knew that Pansy had gotten closer to Draco after Riley’s fight with him this spring. Riley had made up with Draco and taken back her spot once again. Riley could tell it made Pansy’s blood boil. Riley smirked at her and wiggled her fingers just to see Pansy fume. Pansy didn’t disappoint. Her ears nearly expelled steam in her fury.

Riley turned back to Draco, having satisfied her petty side. She noted the general despair hanging over the Slytherin table. Draco was not the only one upset by losing the Cup. If Gryffindor had caught the Snitch earlier, Slytherin would have won. Riley dug into her pudding and tried to ignore the melancholy atmosphere. Eventually, they made their way to the Slytherin Common Room. The Gryffindors left boisterously, high on their earlier win. 

She could here Draco muttering under his breath on the way to the Slytherin Common Room. Riley patted his arm sympathetically. She knew how disappointed he must have been in himself. After lingering in the Common Room far longer than she would have liked, Riley excused herself and went to bed.

_She walked down the street and stopped in front of Big Ben. She looked up at it, her heart filled with joy. She had finally fulfilled her dream of coming to London. She left Durmstrang early, but she didn’t regret it. She had wanted nothing more than to travel on her own._

_She turned the corner and bumped into someone. She stumbled back. She looked up to see Professor Snape, looking years younger. He wore standard Muggle clothes. A tie held his greasy hair back in a ponytail. His eyes shifted awkwardly._

_“Oh, so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she said._

_Professor Snape grimaced. “Not your fault. I was staring at the ground.” He glanced at her robes and smiled slightly._

_“Well, I’ll just be going. I have many things I want to see,” she said._

_“You’re a witch, aren’t you? What school did you go to? Your accent tells me it wasn’t Hogwarts,” Professor Snape said suddenly._

_She blinked, startled. “Oh, I had no idea! You were wearing Muggle clothes so I assumed you were a Muggle.”_

_“No, not a Muggle,” Professor Snape grimaced._

_“Well, then, could you point me to Diagon Alley? I’m looking for a place to stay and I would like to withdraw some money from the bank so I can buy clothes that don’t stand out so much,” she said._

_“Of course. I’m Severus Snape.”_

_“Wonderful to meet you, Severus. My name is Clara Rosier.”_

Riley puzzled over her dream at breakfast. She had never had a dream so vivid before. It seemed like a memory. She almost forgot to eat, before Draco piled some food on her plate. She blinked, surprised. 

“Breakfast is almost over. You should really eat something,” Draco said warmly.

Riley smiled back. “Thank you, Draco.”

This new dream had brought her feelings for Professor Snape back to the forefront. Riley still had feelings for Draco, but her dream had pushed those feelings to the side. When she saw Professor Snape in Potions later that day, she turned bright red. 

Jenny nudged her. “What is wrong with you? I’ve never seen you this flustered in Potions before.”

Riley shook her head. “It’s nothing!” she insisted. 

“Uh, huh. Well, you’re about to set your sleeve on fire, so I definitely believe that,” Jenny said drily. 

Riley shook out her smoking sleeve and glared at Jenny. “Keep your mouth shut.”

Jenny wiggled her eyebrows but said nothing. Riley managed to keep her composure for the rest of class before she hurried out of the room. Her feelings for Professor Snape only grew after her next dream. 

_“Oh, hello, Severus! I didn’t expect to see you again. Thank you for taking me to the Leaky Cauldron. Everyone is so friendly here, even if they’re very nervous. I supposed that has to do with the Dark Wizard you have here. There’s a lot of talk about him outside of Great Britain, but he doesn’t move much outside your borders,” Clara said._

_“You should be careful, Clara. Never refer to him by name, only call him You Know Who or He Who Must Not Be Named. You don’t want to attract his attention,” Severus said firmly._

_“Of course. I’ll be careful. Thank you for your concern. Would you care to get something to eat? I’m quite peckish.”_

_“I suppose. I have a lot to do, so I can’t stay long,” Severus said._

Riley woke up with a grin on her face. She had another dream about Professor Snape! She noticed that her dream self kept referring to her as Clara. Did Riley have some kind of psychic link with Clara? Or was she dreaming up something made up to process her confused feelings about Clara? Since Clara appeared as an adult and Professor Snape looked much younger, Riley supposed her mind might be trying to make her feelings for him more age appropriate. 

She told Scarlet and Jenny about the dreams that afternoon in the library. “I don’t know what’s going on. Do you think these are real memories or am I going crazy?”

Jenny snorted. “You’re definitely going crazy.”

Scarlet nudged Jenny disapprovingly. “I don’t think you’re crazy, and I also don’t think these dreams are real. You’re just combining different parts of your life to try and make sense of them. Snape and Clara are two parts of life that you devote a lot of thought to, so it makes sense that you would dream about them.”

Jenny pulled out the Dream Oracle. “I wonder what this book says about your dreams… hmmm, very interesting. It says you’re going to find out a great secret and that two things that appear separate are actually the same thing.”

“You know that’s complete nonsense,” Riley said peevishly.

Jenny shrugged. “Sure, sure. If you don’t want to take Divination’s advice, fine. I was just trying to help.”

Riley glared. “You were needling me.”

“I can’t do both?” Jenny smirked.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s nothing like your Dementor memories, right?” Scarlet said.

Riley shook her head. “No. The man’s voice in my head doesn’t sound like Professor Snape in my dream.”

“If you see any similarities, we might have to reconsider,” Scarlet said seriously.

“Oh, I hope not. Your crush on Snape would be even weirder if your secret dead sister dated him or something,” Jenny said, horrified.

“I haven’t had any romantic dreams! They’re just friends!” Riley protested.

“So far. Your dreams are chronological, right?” Jenny pointed out.

“I’ve only had two dreams! That’s too small of a sample size,” Riley said.

Unfortunately, Jenny turned out to be right. 

_Clara ran over to him when she saw him walking down the street. “Severus, I haven’t seen you in a month! Where’ve you been?”_

_Severus frowned. “I’ve been busy. I’m sorry I couldn’t come to Diagon Alley much, but my superior has given me a lot of tasks.”_

_Clara paused, unsure. “Am I bothering you? Do you want me to go away?”_

_Severus shook his head. “No, no. Why don’t we go somewhere tomorrow?”_

_Clara beamed. “I’d love that.”_

_Clara and Severus walked down the street, laughing. They had consumed quite a lot of alcohol at the Leaky Cauldron and could barely walk upright. Clara stumbled into his side. Severus caught her and held her close. She looked up into his eyes._

_“Severus, I…” Clara said softly._

_Severus kissed her._

Riley woke up immediately. Her body tingled, and she could still feel the press of Professor Snape’s lips against her own. She squealed and wiggled her body excitedly. The kiss had felt even better than making out with Gregory. Riley felt as light as air. She glided to the Great Hall. Pansy Parkinson’s glare didn’t even faze her. 

She barely ate anything that day and barely paid attention in class, despite the fact that exams were just around the corner. She couldn’t focus at all. Jenny poked her several times in the face during Divination, but Riley did not snap out of her daydreaming.

Thankfully, she did not have Potions that day. Riley didn’t think she could face Professor Snape in this state. She wasn’t even bothered by Draco’s continued moping. He hadn’t stopped whining since Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup. Usually that would drive Riley insane, but right now, she couldn’t care less.

“She’s becoming more deranged. Do you think someone’s drugging her?” Jenny said that afternoon in the library.

Scarlet shook her head. “Don’t be so rude. She’s just infatuated. The dreams are just exacerbating everything.”

Riley sighed. “He kissed me.”

Jenny scoffed. “In your dreams.”

“Yes, it was in my dream,” Riley said softly.

Jenny grimaced. “I’m so grossed out right now.”

“Jenny, work on your own coursework instead of focusing on Riley,” Scarlet scolded.

“If she stays like this she’ll never pass her exams,” Jenny pointed out. 

“Riley will be fine. I’m more worried about my OWLs than I am about her,” Scarlet admitted.

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Yes, like you aren’t going to totally ace your OWLs.”

“I’m still working on the Fidelius Charm, too, you know. It’s cutting into my study time,” Scarlet said peevishly.

“I didn’t mean to be flippant. I’m very confident in you,” Jenny said seriously.

Riley barely heard them.

_Clara snuggled close to Severus in their shared bed. Clara laid her head gently on his chest and breath in his scent. Her heart fluttered._

_“Severus, I have to tell you something,” Clara said nervously._

_Severus blinked at her. “What is it, sweetheart?”_

_“I’m in love with you.”_

_Severus pulled her close and kissed her gently._

Riley told Scarlet and Jenny about her latest dream as soon as she could. “Either Clara and Professor Snape were in an actual relationship, or my brain is going off the deep end. I dreamed a love confession last night.”

Jenny tried not to laugh. “Of course you did. Did he say ‘I love you’ back?”

Riley frowned. “I think so.”

Jenny tiled her head. “You ‘think’ so? That doesn’t sound very sure.”

Riley shrugged. “I mostly remember the kissing part.”

“Ew,” Jenny complained.

“You don’t have to be so rude,” Riley said huffily.

“Look, maybe I just don’t want to know about your kissing dreams. Honestly, mostly I’m happy you aren’t floating around like you’ve been drugged. It was getting weird,” Jenny said.

“I was not acting that way! I was just really happy!” Riley protested.

“You did look a little off,” Scarlet added from behind her textbook.

“You should focus on your studies and not on me,” Riley snapped.

“I can do both just fine,” Scarlet replied.

“Riley, you’re the one who chose to share this with us,” Jenny added.

“I’m sorry I shared something that made me happy with you!”

Unfortunately, Riley’s final dream did not stay happy.

_“You must be Clara Rosier. Severus has told me all about you. You must know he only bedded you because he could not have the witch he truly wanted… I indulged him for a while, but you have become a distraction. I can feel Severus pulling away from me. I cannot have him divert from his purpose, so I have only one choice,” Voldemort said._

_Clara shook in fear. “He never told me anything about you! He has kept your secrets!”_

_“Yes, I thought so. Severus is very loyal. I cannot throw such a valuable asset away. You have to die,” Voldemort said calmly._

_Lola walked into the room right at that moment. “You’re He Who Must Not Be Named. You stay away from my daughter!”_

_“Ah, the blood traitor Dolores Rosier. Such a disappointment to your family. This does not concern you,” Voldemort said coolly._

_“We’ll leave the country and never return,” Clara pleaded._

_Voldemort raised his wand. “You will not turn him from me, witch!”_

_“Stay away from her!” Lola shouted, stepping forward._

_“Do not interfere!” Voldemort snarled, shoving her away._

_Lola waved her wand, sending Voldemort flying into the next room. “Clara, run!”_

_“Mother, no!” Clara protested as her mother pulled her towards the fireplace, turning herself to face Voldemort._

_Her mother threw the Floo Powder and shoved Riley into the fireplace. “Avada Kedavra!” Voldemort said, hitting Lola with the Killing Curse._

_“No! No!” Clara wailed as the flames swallowed her; Lola crumpled to the ground._

Riley bolted upright, tears pouring down her cheeks. Her body shook with loud sobs. Clara had seen her mother die right in front of her, all because of her relationship with Professor Snape. Riley would have dismissed it as a dream if it hadn’t felt so real. Riley wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to calm herself down. She couldn’t believe what she had seen. She ran to her desk and jotted down everything she remembered. She put it with the rest of the notes she had made over the last couple of days. As soon as exams ended, she would confront Professor Snape. 

“Wait, really?” Jenny said, shocked.

Scarlet set down her book. “You’re saying that You Know Who murdered your mother?”

“It fits with the voices I heard when the Dementors attacked. I think even the words were the same. My mother saved Clara and died because of it. I don’t know what happened to Clara after that. Maybe You Know Who caught up to her and killed her. I don’t know. I just want to know what really happened. The only person who might know other than my father is Professor Snape,” Riley said, her voice wobbling.

Jenny hugged Riley. “I’m sorry, Riley. I can’t imagine what that must have felt like. Your mother was very brave.”

Riley turned her face into Jenny’s robes and began to cry. Jenny held her gently until Riley calmed down. Riley eventually pulled herself together and sat upright. Jenny handed her a handkerchief so she could wipe her face. 

“I’m sorry. This is the only time I’ve actually seen my mother in memory. I’ve only seen pictures and portraits before,” Riley said.

Scarlet smiled. “Even if your memory is a bad one, I’m happy you got to see your mother.”

Riley nodded. “Me too.”

That evening, Riley sat at her window with her locket open in front of her, staring at her mother’s portrait. The candlelight played gently on her mother’s features, making her look almost alive. Riley ignored the tears dripping slowly down her cheeks and tried to immortalize the memory she had over her mother stepping into the room to defend her. She felt both devastated and joyful. Nyx fluttered quietly above her in the rafters. Riley stayed there until dawn touched the horizon, thinking of her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment below if you think you've figured out the truth about Clara. I've made a lot of pretty obvious hints. Don't worry, you'll know the whole truth by the end of the book. 
> 
> Sorry this chapter is a week late. I'll be posting again tomorrow, hopefully. Stay tuned for "In Which Jenny Lends a Hand"


	17. In Which Jenny Lends a Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Werewolf shenanigans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV. Also, the first use of the word "fuck" in this series. Probably won't be the last.

“Have you two done any studying?” Jenny said as she looked over Fred’s and George’s work.

“Well, not exactly,” George said sheepishly.

Fred shrugged. “We were more concerned about other things. However, our OWLs are days away and we have to at least pass some of them. Mum’s going to blow a gasket already.”

Jenny sighed. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re both extremely intelligent. If you were any stupider you wouldn’t pass a single exam this late in the game. Let’s start with transfiguration.”

Fred groaned. “No fair! Transfiguration is George’s area.”

Jenny frowned. “Fine. We’ll start with History of Magic.”

Fred shook his head frantically. “Never mind. Transfiguration it is!”

After working with them for several hours, Jenny discovered two things. One, Fred and George had three subjects each that they could pass and two, they could not focus on one subject for more than about a half hour. Jenny decided to drop their electives and worst subjects entirely.

“We want you to pass the exams you actually have a chance in, so we won’t be studying History of Magic, Potions, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, or Muggle Studies anymore. You aren’t actually terrible at Potions but Snape only lets in students who get Outstanding grades. I could probably bring you up to Exceed Expectations but that would basically be a waste of time,” Jenny said.

Fred nodded emphatically. “Thank you Jenny. We’ll do our best.”

“We’re forever grateful,” George added.

Jenny rolled her eyes and pointed them back to their work. Fred and George spent the rest of the afternoon on Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Jenny noted Lupin’s excellent teaching in their practice. Without Lupin, Jenny thought, the twins probably wouldn’t be anywhere close to getting an OWL in Defense. 

“You actually keep up on your homework, don’t you?” George mentioned.

Jenny shrugged. “Of course I do.”

Fred frowned. “We never see you in the afternoons, and you don’t study in the Gryffindor Common Room. We just assumed you were running around causing mayhem.”

“I study with Scarlet and Jenny in the library,” Jenny said.

“Really? We’ve been under the impression that you were like us the entire time, but you actually study!” Fred said, surprised.

“I want to have as many options as possible, so I put the work in. I wouldn’t be nearly as good at Transfiguration as I am if I didn’t constantly practice,” Jenny said.

“You know, come to think of it, I’ve definitely seen you reading books that have nothing to do with school in the Gryffindor Common Room. Jenny, are you secretly a bookworm?” Fred said slyly.

“I like to know things. Sometimes, you need to do research instead of just snooping to find out what you want to know,” Jenny said huffily. 

“We’re more of the wing it type,” George replied. 

“These study sessions have made that abundantly clear,” Jenny said waspishly.

“Jenny, don’t be cross with us. We’re trying our best,” Fred whined.

“Then practice your Defense spells. I’m sure Lupin has taught you a lot, but you need to make sure it sticks in your brain if you want to get an E in this,” Jenny said firmly.

The following day, Jenny had them split up. George focused on Transfiguration while Fred worked on Herbology. Jenny managed to get in a little studying of her own in between helping Fred and George. Riley and Scarlet had split off to do their own studying. Scarlet had immersed herself fully into preparing for the OWLs, and Riley had turned her attention to helping Crabbe and Goyle pass again. 

“I’m worried they’re completely hopeless,” Riley confessed during Divination.

“It was a miracle they passed the last two years, wasn’t it? You should be proud you’ve gotten them this far. I’m surprised they haven’t failed out of Hogwarts already,” Jenny said.

“They do try very hard, it’s just, they’re not very smart. I explain concepts to them over and over but they still don’t get it.” Riley looked pained.

Jenny nodded. “I got lucky. Fred and George are bloody bright, even if they are lazy. I’m confident they can get three OWL’s apiece. Oh, Merlin, I just thought of something. How are Crabbe and Goyle going to pass their OWLs?”

Riley turned sheet white. “Why’d you have to say that? It’s two years away, so it’s not my problem right now. I’m struggling enough with getting them to pass this year, don’t stress me out with things that aren’t even relevant yet.” 

“Should I consult the charts to see if they’ll pass this year?” Jenny said, paging through her book.

“Shove off, Jenny. That’s not funny,” Riley hissed.

“What are you talking about? It’s bloody hilarious. What month were they born in?” Jenny said, grinning. 

“Vincent was born the 21st of July and Gregory was born the 26th of March,” Riley mumbled.

Jenny made several notes, mumbling to herself. “It looks like you’re in the clear for now. Trelawney would be disappointed it wasn’t more tragic.”

Riley tilted her head upward in thanks. “I hope you interpreted the signs correctly. As much as I don’t put much stock in Divination, you seem remarkably good at interpreting the future.”

“It’s all about imagination, as I keep telling people. You also have to keep it vague enough so your predictions are more likely to come true,” Jenny explained. 

Riley frowned at her but pulled out her own book. “You know, your predictions of my tea leaves still haven’t come true.”

Jenny frowned. “I dunno. One of them said ‘addition to the family’, right? Vova took me in, so you could say that one came true. Maybe some of them are in the more distant future. The leaves don’t specify how soon a prediction comes true.”

“Or Divination is complete rubbish,” Riley suggested.

“Hermione thinks that. I think she lost a lot of respect for me when I told her how much I liked Divination,” Jenny said thoughtfully.

“She’s a bit strait-laced, don’t you think?” Riley said.

Jenny shrugged. “I dunno. I’m pretty sure she brewed a Polyjuice Potion last year, and I’m pretty sure she stole ingredients from Snape. Remember how furious he was before Christmas holiday?”

“Oh, yes. I was worried about him,” Riley replied.

“Not to mention, she tried to fight a troll in her first year and she snuck into the Forbidden Corridor with Harry and Ron. She likes to pretend she only cares about school and the rules but she’s got a rebellious streak,” Jenny pointed out. 

General exams took place before the OWLs, so Jenny had to take a break from helping Fred and George to focus on her own studying. She finished her exams without too much trouble. She suspected that she had done well enough in Potions to make Snape’s blood boil. Jenny didn’t just have exams to worry about, though.

Her Polyjuice Potion was near completion, and the full moon was just days away. Jenny spent what little freedom she had left working on her Potions. She didn’t even have time to write to Jeremy, despite his weekly updates about Kelsey’s house.

“How’s the Fidelius Charm going?” she asked Scarlet when she managed to catch her in the hallway.

Scarlet frowned. “I’ve been so busy studying I haven’t had much time to think about it. I feel pretty confident. I basically got it down at the beginning of the month. We’ll need to go together to cast in on the house. We should go right after the OWL exams finish.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll see you after exams. Good luck on your OWLs!” Jenny said cheerfully.

Scarlet nodded absentmindedly and raced off. 

On the last day of exams, Jenny drank down another dose of Wolfsbane Potion and let out a sigh of relief. Now she had one less thing on her plate. After Fred and George completed their OWLs, Jenny could turn all of her attention to Kelsey’s escape plan. 

She slipped out of the castle that evening under her usual Disillusionment Charm. She noticed quite a bit more tracks than usual. Someone was out on the grounds after hours. Jenny shrugged and continued into the forest. She stowed her robes and wand in a safe place and waited for the moon to rise. Not much after, she felt the transformation sweep through her body. 

Jenny shook out her limbs and glanced up at the full moon. She frowned. She thought she heard the sounds of a painful transformation, but that couldn’t be right. The only other werewolf at Hogwarts was Lupin. When the truth dawned on her, Jenny immediately bolted towards the noise. _Lupin you fucking idiot how could you forget to drink your potion_ , she thought as she crashed through the trees. 

She reached the edge of the forest just in time to see Lupin fighting with a large black dog. Jenny raced over to help the dog. She grabbed Lupin by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away from the black dog, who whimpered. Jenny growled and flicked her tail in an indication to run away. The dog seemed to understand what she was and escaped. Though Lupin had about a hundred pounds on her, Jenny managed to pull him to the forest. On her way, she saw Harry and Hermione hiding in the trees. Lupin let out a forlorn howl.

Harry and Hermione bolted out of the forest towards Hagrid’s cabin, yanked open the door, and shut it behind them. Jenny let out a sigh of relief and relaxed her jaw. Lupin leapt to his feet and moved towards the cabin. Jenny bit his tail and leapt back. Lupin whipped around and snarled at her. Jenny waited until he lunged at her before she bolted deeper into the forest. She could hear Lupin chasing her, so Jenny weaved through the trees. Lupin had more muscle mass, but Jenny knew this forest better than him. She managed to outmaneuver him until they reached the center of the forest. She could hear the large spiders close by. 

Jenny turned to face Lupin, letting her mouth fall open in a wolfish grin. Lupin howled in fury and lunged at her again. Jenny danced out of his reach. Lupin moved to go back towards the castle, so Jenny tackled him. She used every dirty trick she had ever learned to keep him from escaping her grasp. Lupin struggled, but he no longer had the upper hand. Jenny bit his throat again in a show of dominance and he relaxed. Lupin, having spent most of his life as a lone wolf, had almost no experience with werewolf packs. Jenny had easily beaten him; she had years of full moon memories with her family. 

Lupin howled again, and Jenny joined him sympathetically. He eventually curled up and went to sleep. Jenny forced herself to stay awake, wary that he might go after Harry and Hermione, who could still be on the grounds. She pondered that. What had they been doing in the forest? Who was the black dog? Were they an Animagus? Her thoughts helped her stay awake until dawn shone on the horizon. 

Jenny quickly moved away to find her stowed robe and wand, and to give Lupin some privacy. She transformed moments later and dressed herself. Then, she pulled out her wand and concentrated to conjure some robes. She didn’t have much experience with conjuring spells, so it took a couple of tries before she had something that kind of looked right. 

Jenny picked her way back to Lupin. When she reached the clearing, she spotted Lupin, transformed, out of the corner of her eye. She covered her eyes and held out the robes.

“Here you go. I’m not sure if they’ll fit because I conjured them, but at least you’ll have something to cover yourself with,” Jenny said awkwardly.

She felt Lupin take the robes from her. “Thank you, Ms. Jones. I can’t thank you enough for what you did for me. I could have seriously hurt someone. I’m dressed now, so you don’t have to keep covering your eyes.”

Jenny lowered her hand. “What happened? How did you forget to take your Wolfsbane Potion?”

Lupin sighed. “I suppose you have a right to know. You’re proven that you can keep secrets. I discovered definitive evidence that Sirius Black was innocent. I went to go investigate, forgetting to wait for Professor Snape to bring me my potion. I went to the Shrieking Shack and found Sirius with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He told me that Peter Pettigrew, one of our friends from school, was the one truly responsible for Harry’s parents’ deaths, and he had been hiding as Ron’s pet Scabbers for the last thirteen years. You see, Sirius, Peter, and Harry’s father had become Animagus to help me during my transformations.”

“Wait a second, the black dog was Sirius Black, wasn’t it?” Jenny said excitedly.

“Yes, he was. Professor Snape interrupted us and ended up knocked unconscious. I had forgotten about the full moon. When we went to turn Peter into the Ministry, we stepped outside to the full moon. I transformed, and Peter escaped. I don’t know what happened after that. Likely Sirius was caught, if he hasn’t already been Kissed by the Dementors. We need to get back,” Lupin said firmly.

Jenny groaned. “You know that we’re in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, right? It will take us hours to get back. I usually stay much closer to the grounds but I was worried you might attack Harry and Hermione. I didn’t see Ron or Snape. Maybe they got separated? We should go back now. I can cast a pretty good Disillusionment Charm so we won’t be seen.”

Jenny waved her wand over Lupin’s head and tapped his skull before performing the same action on herself. She then placed her wand in her hand and murmured the Point Me spell. She led Lupin out of the forest with sure steps.

“I can’t believe Sirius Black is an Animagus. It makes so much sense! There’s no way he would have been able to sneak into the castle otherwise. He would have been spotted immediately. The Dementors don’t care about animal souls as much, do they? I wonder if wizards have thought about this before,” Jenny said as they made their way back to Hogwarts. 

“Probably not. Animagus are fairly uncommon, and most wizards never encounter a Dementor in their lifetime,” Lupin replied.

“Are you going to get into trouble?” Jenny said.

“It’s very likely. No doubt Professor Snape has told Professor Dumbledore what has happened. I do not think I will be returning this year,” Lupin said solemnly.

Jenny stopped short, causing Lupin to bump into her. “What! That’s not fair!”

She heard Lupin sigh. “I acted irresponsibly and put students in danger. If Professor Dumbledore doesn’t fire me, I will resign myself.”

“But you’re the best Defense teacher we’ve had! You’re the only reason that Fred and George are going to pass their Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL. I won’t have anyone to talk to about being a werewolf when you’re gone,” Jenny protested.

“Ms. Jones, you will be just fine. You’re extremely self reliant, as you have proven time and time again. You have your friends. Besides, you can always write to me,” Lupin said.

“It won’t be the same. It’s bloody rubbish,” Jenny complained. 

“Ms. Jones, you shouldn’t use inappropriate language in front of a teacher,” he chided.

Jenny scoffed. “You just told me you’re resigning, so I don’t give a rat’s arse what you think about my language.”

“You sound like Sirius,” Lupin said fondly.

They continued their walk in silence. Jenny pushed down her feelings of despair and anger. Jenny steered them around several dangerous traps before they ended up on a well worn path.

“This is a centaur path. They usually use this one during the nighttime, so it’s unlikely we’ll run into one,” Jenny explained.

“Ah. You’re quite familiar with the Forbidden Forest, aren’t you Ms. Jones? We knew all about the castle, we even made a map of it. But the Forbidden Forest wasn’t well known to us,” Lupin said.

“You’re the authors of the Marauders Map, aren’t you?” Jenny exclaimed.

“You’ve seen it too?” Lupin said, surprised.

“I’m friends with Fred and George. They showed it to me. I use the secret passage to Honeyduke’s all the time to sneak out of the castle when I need to go to Hogsmeade. I work shifts on weekends at Madam Puddifoot’s. I’m less likely to get caught that way,” Jenny said. 

“You work at the tea shop?” 

“Why is everyone always so surprised by that?” 

Light broke through the trees. They had reached the edge of the forest. Jenny felt a pang of loss. Now they had to return to reality. They moved quietly across the grounds, careful not to attract attention by making noise. They took a detour to pick up Lupin’s wand near the Whomping Willow, where he had dropped it when he transformed. Then they slipped inside the castle and Jenny said goodbye to Lupin at his office. Jenny returned to her room and lifted the charm, sliding to sit on her bed. She pulled her hair into a ponytail. 

“Well, that could’ve gone better,” she said to the empty room. 

Things did not improve at breakfast. Jenny approached the table to find the Great Hall full of whispering students. She sat down next to Fred and George. 

“What’s going on?” she asked curiously.

Fred stared at her. “You haven’t heard?”

“Heard what? I just woke up,” Jenny said.

“Sirius Black escaped! They had him locked in Flitwick’s office, but when they retrieved a dementor to give him the Kiss, he was gone!” George said.

“Harry, Hermione, and Ron were attacked by dementors last night after being taken hostage by Black,” Fred added.

“Not to mention, Snape just outed Lupin as a werewolf to the entire student body,” George concluded.

Jenny felt a flash of fear and anger. “What?!”

“Yes. Lupin wasn’t at breakfast and Snape explained why to everyone. He said Lupin was running around in the Forbidden Forest last night,” Fred added.

Jenny grit her teeth. “I always knew Snape was scum. I just didn’t know how low he could fall.”

“He looked absolutely furious this morning. I think he was trying to get revenge,” George speculated.

“Lupin was a great Defense teacher. I’m sad to see him go,” Fred said sadly.

“I’m going to kill that son of bitch,” Jenny snarled.

“Woah, Jenny. Don’t you think that’s a little extreme? I mean, what Snape did was obviously uncalled for, but Lupin’s just getting sacked,” George said placatingly.

“Do you have any idea what the Ministry thinks about werewolves? They’re classified as ‘Beasts’ under the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. There’s a registry and a capture unit. They’re not treated as human!” Jenny shouted.

George looked taken aback. “Really? I had no idea. I don’t know that much about werewolves.” 

“The only way Snape could have made it worse is if he called the Daily Prophet. I’m going to poison that bloody git,” Jenny said venomously.

“Are you a werewolf expert?” Fred asked.

“You could say that,” Jenny said darkly.

“Have you ever met a werewolf?” George said curiously.

“I’ve met Lupin, haven’t I?” Jenny pointed out. 

“Jenny, c’mon, you know that’s not what we meant. Have you met a werewolf before this?” Fred wheedled.

Jenny sighed. “It’s not really any of your business. Yes, I have met a werewolf. No, I’m not telling you any more than that.”

“You’re so cruel, Jenny,” George complained.

“Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies,” Jenny said, quoting the twins’ own words to them.

Fred winced. “I wish we’d never said that to you.” 

Jenny smirked. She glanced up at the High Table and noticed Lupin had not appeared. He must have talked to Dumbledore when he got back to the castle and decided to stay away from the public eye. Jenny felt the tension drain from her shoulders. She would not have to see him face discrimination in public, and it appeared most Gryffindors thought being a werewolf was a point in his favor. 

Jenny went to visit Lupin in his office after breakfast. She realized he had already started packing. Jenny knocked quietly on the door. When Lupin looked up and saw her, he smiled and waved her in.

“Ms. Jones, I wondered when I would see you next,” Lupin said warmly.

“Well, Professor, you were right. You did have to leave. I guess there are worse consequences to the DADA post curse. You know, the teacher in my second year died. Snape is a slimy git and I will make him pay for what he did to you,” Jenny said as she sat in a nearby chair.

“That’s kind of you, Ms. Jones, but you shouldn’t go drawing attention to yourself. If you were found out, you could get into serious trouble,” Lupin pointed out.

Jenny shrugged. “I’m sure I could talk my way out of it. I convinced McGonagall that I fell asleep in the Forbidden Forest after I disappeared for 24 hours.”

Lupin frowned. “What actually happened?”

“I was kidnapped by Grindelwald’s Merchant after I tried to make a black market deal with him for aconite.” Jenny smirked.

“I’m not sure whether I believe you or not. McGonagall is very hard to pull one over on,” Lupin said skeptically.

“That’s because most people just cave and tell her the truth. I picked the option that would seem the most plausible to her. If I had tried that on Dumbledore, he probably wouldn't have believed me. Which is why I avoid Dumbledore as much as possible,” Jenny replied. 

“He is remarkably difficult to fool, isn’t he?” Lupin said thoughtfully.

“In direct confrontation, yes. However, I have snuck into his office multiple times and I’m fairly certain he didn’t notice.” Jenny swung her foot idly. 

Lupin chuckled. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, Ms. Jones.”

“Where will you go now?” Jenny asked worriedly. 

“I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll try my luck in the Muggle world,” Lupin said thoughtfully.

“How will you get access to Wolfsbane?” Jenny pushed.

“I will likely not. Besides, I proved last night that I can’t be trusted to take it reliably,” Lupin pointed out.

“I can brew it for you,” Jenny insisted.

Lupin smiled gently. “That’s kind of you to offer, but it’s impractical. I never know where I’ll be.”

Jenny frowned. “Well, if you ever settle down in one place, write to me at Hogwarts. I’ll make sure you get it.” 

“I will,” Lupin promised.

“Are you going to write Sirius Black now that he’s on the run?” Jenny asked.

“I might. Why do you ask?” Lupin said.

Jenny grinned. “I want to consult him on how he became an Animagus.”

Lupin grimaced. “I’ll ask him to write to you. I don’t know if he’ll agree to help you.”

“I’m sure I can come up with a convincing argument,” Jenny said confidently. 

Lupin sighed and turned back to his packing. Jenny talked with him for the rest of the morning.

“As much as I enjoy speaking with you, Jenny, you shouldn’t linger here too long. You know I’m considered a threat now,” Lupin said.

“Fine, fine. Only because I don’t want you to get into any more trouble,” Jenny insisted. 

“Have a good summer holiday, Ms. Jones,” Lupin replied. 

“Take care of yourself, Professor. And please, call me Jenny. You’re not my teacher anymore,” Jenny said.

“Goodbye, Jenny.”

“Goodbye, Lupin.”

Jenny left his office feeling heavier than she had all year. After a year of relative ease, it felt even worse to have her hopes squashed. She stared listlessly at the ground as she shuffled to the Great Hall for lunch. Though the burden of exams had lifted, Jenny felt nothing but sorrow. She picked at her food listlessly, and not even Fred and George could cheer her up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was later than intended, but it's still Friday PST. Stay tuned for next week's chapter, "In Which Riley Talks to Snape".


	18. In Which Riley Talks to Snape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things are both revealed and concealed. Riley, Jenny, and Scarlet go on a late night jaunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

Riley straightened herself up, took a deep breath and knocked. 

Professor Snape opened the door. “What do you… Ms. Dracula. I wasn’t expecting you. How can I help you?”

Riley bit her lip. “There’s something important I need to ask you, sir. It’s a sensitive matter.”

Professor Snape opened the door and stepped aside. “Please come in.”

Riley took the seat in front of his desk and wiggled nervously. Professor Snape closed the door and returned to his own seat. He linked his and placed them on the table, eyeing her carefully. Riley couldn’t help noticing his shiny, greasy hair and sallow complexion. He looked more handsome than ever. She felt her cheeks warm.

Riley pulled herself together and leaned forward. “I need you to tell me everything you know about Clara Rosier, sir.”

Professor Snape leaned back and blinked at her. “Where did you hear that name?”

“I think she’s my older sister. I know you knew her,” Riley said.

Professor Snape frowned. “I suppose you do look alike. I noticed it when I first saw you. I dismissed it because I believed Clara was a full blooded witch.”

“Well, she wasn’t. Now please tell me,” Riley insisted.

Professor Snape sighed. “You are an exemplary Slytherin. I will tell you everything I know about Clara.”

Riley smiled.

“I met Clara a few years after I graduated from Hogwarts. She was touring London. I believe she had recently turned eighteen, though I am not certain of that fact. She originally attended Durmstrang Institute, but left before her final year after she turned of age. We bumped into each other by coincidence, and I helped her find her way. I saw her a few times after that, and we eventually became friends. Not long after that, we began seeing each other romantically.

“Clara was a very warm and friendly person. She didn’t care much about what other people thought of her, except her close friends. She was very affectionate and caring. She loved traveling and trying new things. She told me that her childhood had been very sheltered before she left for school. I could tell she loved her parents dearly but that she felt smothered by them. We spent a lot of time wandering Muggle London and taking in the sights. 

“Clara did not tell me much about her family, just that her mother was a Rosier and her father was not a wizard. I assumed that meant he was a Muggle, and Clara did not correct me. If she was half vampire, she hid it well. Clara was avoiding her mother and her family in general. She said she felt suffocated by them and she wanted to break out on her own. I met her mother once, when she eventually tracked down Clara. Clara and I had moved in together so her mother stayed with us. Clara made sure we stayed away from each other. I think her mother disliked me. 

“I have not told many people about this, but I had joined the Death Eaters at the time. It was expected for Slytherins to do so after graduating Hogwarts. I didn’t necessarily agree with what they believed in, but I faced pressure from my mother and peers to join. I worked as a low level spy for the Dark Lord until I eventually betrayed him and joined Dumbledore. Not long after that, the Dark Lord was defeated. 

“When I was still working with the Dark Lord, he found out about my relationship with Clara. He was very unhappy. He decided my attachment was compromising my ability to serve him. He went to kill Clara. However, he failed. Clara’s mother stopped him, and Clara escaped. He killed Clara’s mother. I don’t know what happened after that. When I returned to my flat that evening, her mother’s body was gone. I never saw Clara again.”

Professor Snape looked at her sympathetically. Riley began to cry. She sobbed into her hands as her body shook with grief. After several minutes, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Riley eventually looked up. His glittering black eyes crinkled in sympathy. Riley wiped her eyes and took the handkerchief he handed her.

“Thank you for telling me all of that, sir. I am glad that I know a little about her now. I can’t express how much it means to me that you told me all of that,” Riley said, her voice rough.

Professor Snape nodded. “If you do find out what happened to her, please let me know. It has… weighed on my mind for some time.”

“Of course, sir,” Riley replied.

“You should be going now, Ms. Dracula. I have exams to grade,” Professor Snape said.

Riley walked to the door, and then turned. “Have a good afternoon, sir.”

Professor Snape smiled slightly. “You as well, Ms. Dracula.”

Riley blushed and hurried out the door, shutting it behind her. She wandered outside and sat on a bench. She didn’t understand what she was feeling. Part of her felt grief and anger towards Clara, who had gotten her mother killed and then disappeared. She despaired now that Professor Snape had already met her sister and fallen in love with her. How could he ever look at her without comparing her to her older, better sister? She also felt warm. Professor Snape had been so kind to her, and had told exactly what she wanted to know. Riley cried for a little bit before going to find Scarlet and Jenny. She needed to tell them everything. 

Riley walked across the grounds, where she found Scarlet and Jenny sitting by the lake. Jenny waved when she saw Riley approach. Riley ran over to them. Jenny frowned and got up when she saw Riley’s face. Riley reached them and threw her arms around Jenny. 

“He told me everything,” she sobbed into Jenny’s neck.

“That bad, huh? Do you want to talk about it?” Jenny asked gently.

“Not yet,” Riley said, her voice wobbling.

“Okay. Why don’t we sit?” Jenny lowered them carefully to the ground.

Riley pulled herself together and wiped her eyes with Professor Snape’s handkerchief. “I’m alright now.”

“Are you ready to talk?” Jenny watched her worriedly.

“Yes,” Riley said, before telling them the whole story.

Jenny wrinkled her nose after she finished. “What is it with your family and their terrible taste?” 

Riley frowned. “Why are you so rude?”

Jenny winced. “Sorry. This all seems so weird. Your sister is sixteen years older than you and has been a well kept secret for your entire life. Your father has never mentioned her name once. I can only see two possibilities. Your sister is a horrible person and is dead to the family, or Sodding Squats finally got to her and she’s actually dead.”

Riley’s lip trembled. “Oh, both of those are terrible!”

Jenny grimaced. “I wish I could give you the answer you want. The only person who can really tell you what you want to know is Vova. You should talk to him when we get home.”

Riley nodded resolutely. “He’s not wiggling out of it this time. I will find out the truth.”

Jenny nodded. “Of course you will. So, do you want to go with us when we set the Fidelius Charm?”

Riley smiled. “Sounds like fun. I can say hello to Jeremy and Edward too.” 

“Not to mention, I can tell you about the house so that you’ll be able to see it and help if Kelsey and Liam get into trouble,” Jenny added.

“That’s actually very thought out,” Scarlet said.

Jenny glared. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean! I’m an excellent planner! I’ve planned no less than twenty successful break ins!”

Scarlet glared back. “You shouldn’t be proud of that, you know!”

Riley giggled. “You two are so funny!”

“I have to go study for my OWLs. The exams start this week, you know,” Scarlet said huffily, before standing and walking across the field.

“I don’t think she liked that you called her funny,” Jenny pointed out.

Despite Jenny’s comforting words, Riley slept poorly. She went to her room directly after dinner to avoid Draco, Gregory, and Vincent, but did not fall asleep until well after midnight. She kept thinking about Clara and Professor Snape, and what it all meant. 

The next morning, Draco eyed her suspiciously at breakfast. “You look like you didn’t sleep a wink last night, but I know you went to bed early.”

Riley shrugged. “Dunno, rough dreams I guess.”

Draco did not seem satisfied by that answer. “Are you sure, Riley?”

Riley stole food off of his plate to distract him. “Exams are over, so it doesn’t really matter how awake I am, right?”

“I suppose,” Draco said skeptically.

“Do you know what you’re doing during summer holiday?” Riley asked, changing the subject. 

Draco lit up, “Father says we’re going to see the Quidditch World Cup this year with the Minister! Usually Father says attending it is a waste of time, but since he’s meeting with the Minister, he said we could go. We won’t be staying there, obviously. Father says camping is for poor people. Mother will be attending as well, though she’s not a fan of Quidditch. Will you be attending the Cup this year?”

Riley shrugged. “None of us are particularly passionate about Quidditch, so probably not. Jenny mostly likes the bloodbath. We’ll probably listen to it on the radio. It’s a shame that wizards don’t have television. Did you know that Muggle’s can view their sports remotely on screens? We actually have a few televisions in my castle, but we don’t usually watch them.”

“Really? I didn’t think Muggles were that advanced,” Draco said, in a combination of fascination and disgust.

“Draco, Muggles have had to get along without magic. They’ve made quite a few advancements to make up for it. In my opinion, many of their inventions are better than the magical equivalent,” Riley replied.

“There’s no way that’s true,” Draco said in disbelief.

“If you say so, Draco,” Riley said, unbothered.

“What are you planning on doing during summer holiday, then?” Draco asked.

“We’ll probably go traveling again, though I can’t be certain. My father loves to surprise us. How about you, Gregory?” Riley winked at him.

Gregory turned red. “‘Dunno.” 

Riley smirked. She couldn’t resist teasing Gregory after their kiss at the Quidditch House Cup. Draco still had no idea that had even happened. Riley intended to keep it that way. She twirled a lock of her hair around her finger. Gregory returned his gaze to his plate, though Riley could see the tips of his ears still burned red. 

Draco, completely oblivious to the exchange, continued to drone on about the amazing seats he had for the Quidditch World Cup. Riley fluttered her eyelashes at Gregory to see what he would do. Gregory, who had looked up in a moment of pure foolishness, caught the full force of Riley’s flirtation. He knocked over his goblet and spilled pumpkin juice across the table.

“Goyle, what the bloody hell are you doing? I always knew you were a blundering oaf, but I didn’t think you were that clumsy,” Draco said coldly as he leaned away from the mess.

Feeling guilty, Riley grabbed a napkin and started mopping up the juice. “Don’t be so harsh, Draco. It was clearly an accident.”

Draco sniffed. “Perhaps you shouldn’t drink anything at the table, Goyle.”

Goyle had shrunk into his seat as much as a boy of his size could. “Sorry, Malfoy. I wasn’t paying attention.” 

Riley wrote Edward that evening. She penned a quick note before summoning Nyx to deliver it. She sighed. She wished she could have access to a phone at Hogwarts. 

_Dear Edward,_

_How is the house progressing? There’s not much time before term ends, and I want to make sure we’re on track for Kelsey’s and Liam’s arrival. Please let me know if you would like me to order anything. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again. I miss you!_

_Riley_

His reply arrived not long afterward. Riley peeled open the note eagerly. Nyx fluttered away before Riley had finished reading.

_Dear Riley,_

_Jeremy is driving me crazy. He wants everything just so, despite the fact that I’ve never seen him make anything fashionable in his life. What does he know about interior decorating? I think he wants Jenny to approve of the way the house looks, so he’s going overboard. Despite his antics, I do believe the house will be ready on schedule. We’ve completely finished the painting and have set up almost all of the furniture. The only thing left is the decor. I can’t wait to see you again. Your father hasn’t mentioned what we’re doing this holiday, but I believe we’ll be headed back to Romania as soon as you return from Hogwarts. We might not even stay the night at my parents’ house. Jenny mentioned you’ll be coming with her to set up the spell that will hide the house. I look forward to seeing you then._

_Yours,  
Edward_

Riley and Jenny saw neither hide nor hair of Scarlet for the next two weeks. She spent all of her time holed up in Ravenclaw Tower, studying, or taking exams. Riley worried that she was skipping meals, but Jenny assured her that Cho Chang was bringing her food. 

“Cho Chang, really?” Riley said.

Jenny smirked. “I know. I’m still not sure about Cho, but if it makes Scarlet happy, I fully support it. 

“You know, I just realized that Scarlet will be taking fewer subjects than us next year. She’ll actually have a lighter course load. Do you think she’ll be bored?” Riley frowned.

Jenny shook her head. “Definitely not. She’ll probably take more NEWT classes than necessary, and I’ve heard that the coursework is a lot harder in sixth year. Fred and George told me they’ll only take three classes apiece next year. Not that it’ll be hard to choose: I’m pretty sure they’re only going to pass three each.” 

“Wow, they’re that terrible?” Riley said, horrified.

Jenny shook her head. “It’s not that. They just don’t care. They’ve been smart enough to pass their exams without studying for the past four years. They didn’t put any effort into preparing for OWLs until this month. They wanted to win the Quidditch Cup more than they wanted to pass their exams.”

Riley grimaced. “It’s probably a bad idea to have only one sport at Hogwarts.” 

“Don’t forget, we’ll be taking our OWLs next year,” Jenny pointed out.

Riley shuddered. “Don’t remind me. I don’t know how I’m going to pass any of my classes.”

Jenny grinned. “I’m going to get an Outstanding in Potions out of spite. I can’t wait to see Snape glaring at me when I’m taking his NEWT level class in sixth year.”

Riley frowned. “You shouldn’t antagonize him. You know, he actually helped me a lot. He confirmed that my visions and dreams were true. You should cut him some slack.”

“You know that he outed Lupin as a werewolf, right? I’d rather eat slugs than cut him any slack,” Jenny said harshly.

Riley sighed. “That was a mistake on his part. He’s hardly the only one who thinks poorly of werewolves.”

“That’s not the point. You know he did it out of spite because Sirius Black escaped!” Jenny protested.

“What does Sirius Black have to do with it?” Riley asked, confused.

Jenny groaned. “I wasn’t going to tell anyone because it wasn’t my business, but Sirius Black isn’t the one who sold out the Potters. It was their other friend, Peter Pettigrew. He’s been hiding as a rat for the past thirteen years. He escaped. Apparently all of Lupin’s friends, including James Potter, were unregistered Animagi.” 

“I heard there were only seven in the last century,” Riley said.

“Apparently not. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a lot of unregistered Animagi out there. It seems like an extremely useful skill,” Jenny pointed out. 

“Good point. I mean, it’s not like I’ve told the Ministry I can turn into a bat,” Riley said.

“It’s best not to tell the Ministry anything if you can help it.”

The day before the end of term, Scarlet, Jenny, and Riley all stood outside at the edge of Hogsmeade. Jenny held out her wand for the Knight Bus. The three of them had snuck out through the Honeyduke’s passageway and now awaited transportation. Moments later, the Knight Bus arrived with a bang. Riley flinched at the loud noise. Jenny didn’t even blink, just stowed her wand with a sigh and pulled out her bag of coins. She dropped some into Ernie’s hand as they boarded the bus. The three of them sat on one of the beds. They held hands, and Scarlet and Riley held onto the ends of the bed. Riley braced herself for the turbulence. 

After nearly falling over twice, Riley breathed a sigh of relief when they finally arrived at the London House. She nearly tripped on the way out. Scarlet steadied her without comment. Jenny didn’t stop to wait for them. She marched down the road to the yellow house, and knocked on the door. Moments later, Jeremy opened it.

“Jenny! I wasn’t expecting you all to arrive so early,” Jeremy said, giving Jenny a hug.

“We made good time. Grab Edward. We don’t want anyone in the house when Scarlet casts the charm,” Jenny replied, returning his hug.

“Right!” Jeremy let go of Jenny reluctantly and disappeared into the house, returning with Edward moments later.

Edward startled when he appeared in the doorway. “Riley, I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”

Riley shrugged. “I was bored, so I decided to tag along. Is the house finished?” 

Edward smiled. “We’re almost done. Jeremy has been meticulously arranging decorations for days. I’ve been hanging everything, and then Jeremy complains that he doesn’t like where it is, so I have to start over.”

“That’s an exaggeration! I just want it to look welcoming for when Kelsey and Liam arrive!” Jeremy protested.

“You’re definitely not trying to impress someone, are you Jeremy?” Edward said slyly.

Jeremy hit him in the arm.

“The three of us have to be back at school tomorrow, so can we hurry this along?” Scarlet said, interrupting their exchange.

“Sorry, Scarlet,” Jeremy said sheepishly. 

Jeremy locked the door behind them and everyone gathered on the sidewalk. Scarlet and Jenny stood right in front of the house. Scarlet muttered to herself for several minutes as she wandered around the outside of the house. When she finished, she returned to her spot in front of Jenny. 

“ _Fidelius Celo_ ,” Scarlet said, waving her wand over the house before placing the tip on Jenny’s heart. 

Riley watched as the house disappeared from her sight and the space between the two adjacent houses shrunk, until it looked like a house had never stood between them. Moments later, she couldn’t even remember why they were there. 

“Shit,” Jeremy said, gaping. 

Jenny frowned. “What?”

“None of us can see the secret I have hidden in your soul. We don’t even know what it is,” Scarlet said calmly.

“Blimey! Really? Nothing looks different to me,” Jenny said. 

“Jenny, please tell us your secret, or we’ll be standing out here all night,” Scarlet said, a bit shortly.

“Ah, yes. There is a house here called Number 6, Kelly St.,” Jenny said. 

Immediately both the house and the memories associated with it returned. Riley blinked, shocked. Jeremy and Edward looked just as confused and surprised as she did. Scarlet smiled, her hair almost glowing in the dark.

“Well, it’s clear that the charm is fully in place. I was a bit worried it wouldn’t work, but we’ve seen clear evidence that it did,” Scarlet said.

“Bloody brilliant, Scarlet. I’m sure you got an Outstanding in Charms at the very least!” Jenny gave Scarlet a tight hug.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Scarlet said demurely. 

“I don’t know of any underage wizards who have ever performed such a high level charm,” Jenny insisted.

“This is basically the equivalent of Jenny successfully brewing a Wolfsbane Potion, right?” Riley said.

“I suppose so,” Scarlet said, blushing lightly.

“Well, this is all very fascinating, but Edward and I have decorating to do, and you three have to get back to Hogwarts. We’ll see you soon!” Jeremy said cheerfully, giving Jenny another hug before disappearing into the house.

“We’ll see you tomorrow.” Edward hugged Riley before following Jeremy. 

“I’m bloody exhausted, let’s go,” Jenny complained. 

Riley fell asleep on their ride back to Hogwarts, despite the turbulence. She woke up to Jenny poking her in the eye. Riley blinked blearily and rubbed her eyes.

“C’mon, we’re here. Let’s go before Ernie tries to sell us something,” Jenny said urgently.

Riley pulled her cloak tightly around her as they exited the bus. She wished she could Apparate. The Knight Bus had not endeared itself to her any of the times she had been forced to ride it. The Knight Bus disappeared with a loud bang that made Riley’s ears ring. Jenny waved her wand over Riley and then herself, while Scarlet cast her own charm. They moved almost invisibly across Hogsmeade and snuck into Honeyduke’s. 

Jenny stopped them partway through the passageway. “Could you help me with Kelsey’s and Liam’s trunks? Madam Puddifoot said I could leave them in her shop tonight.”

“Why’d you stow their trunks in here?” Riley asked.

“Well, it’s a lot harder to make an inconspicuous escape when you’re lugging around two giant trunks. That’s why I’m counting on you to pick up my trunk at King’s Cross. I’m sure Edward will help you,” Jenny said, grinning.

Riley groaned. “Let’s just get this over with. I want to go to bed.”

Jenny hefted one trunk easily, while Scarlet and Riley carried the other one. It took significant effort to take them out of Honeyduke’s without making a sound, but they somehow managed it. Jenny led them confidently to Madam Puddifoot’s. She knocked on her back door.

“How can you carry that trunk all by yourself, Jenny? Isn’t it heavy?” Scarlet panted.

“I’ve been lifting deer carcasses since I was a wee bairn,” Jenny said, lilting her voice.

“Now that’s just rude,” Riley grumbled.

The door swung open and Madam Puddifoot appeared. “Oh, good. Come on in.”

She stepped aside and held the door open for them. Riley smiled at her as she lugged the trunk in. She set it next to its companion and let out a heavy breath. Scarlet sighed next to her. Jenny didn’t look tired in the slightest.

“Thank you, Madam Puddifoot. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t helped me,” Jenny said cheerfully.

“Oh, dear, of course I’d help you. You’re one of my best waitresses, you know,” Madam Puddifoot said warmly.

“How?” Riley said incredulously. 

Jenny ignored her. “We have to go now. I’ll see you tomorrow, around eleven? I’ll be bringing my sister and her boyfriend.”

“I’ll have them waiting for you. Have a good night’s sleep, Jenny,” Madam Puddifoot said, waving goodbye.

They returned through the Honeyduke’s passageway and reappeared inside of Hogwarts. “Don’t forget, you two. Meet me after breakfast as soon as you load your luggage. I’ll be in Myrtle’s bathroom with the Polyjuice Potion. You remember the plan, right?” Jenny said firmly.

“Of course, Jenny,” Scarlet said.

“We won’t let you down,” Riley added. 

“Thank you so much for helping me with this. I don’t know if I could have done it without you,” Jenny said, her voice cracking.

Scarlet and Riley enveloped Jenny in a warm hug. Riley almost swore she could here Jenny sniffle a bit. When they separated, Jenny wiped her eyes and gave them a confident grin, before running off to Gryffindor Tower. 

It was nearly three in the morning by the time Riley returned to her bed. She swayed on her feet. She had nearly gotten caught twice on her way to the Slytherin Dormitory. Riley didn’t even undress before flopping on her bed and falling asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Snape absolutely did NOT love Clara. He was attracted to her and she reminded him of Lily, who he couldn't have. I may tweak canon a little bit, but not that much. 
> 
> Stay tuned for "In Which Jenny Pulls Off the Ultimate Stunt", coming next week!


	19. In Which Jenny Pulls Off the Ultimate Stunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Great escapes have great consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jenny POV

Jenny woke up bright and early on the last day of term. She had packed everything away in her trunk except her cauldron and robes. Jenny brushed her hair carefully, made sure she had everything she needed, and took her trunk downstairs. 

Jenny bypassed the Great Hall altogether to put her trunk and Sable with the rest of the luggage. She stopped in for a brief breakfast, stuffing food in her mouth with increased speed and downing her pumpkin juice in one go. Fred and George watched her with confusion. 

“Where are you in such a hurry to be going?” George asked.

“Lots to do this morning,” Jenny said as she wiped her face. 

“Are we even going to see you before the train?” Fred said.

“Nope. Have a good summer holiday!” Jenny said cheerfully as she raced out of the Great Hall. 

Jenny hurried to Myrtle’s bathroom, checking to make sure that nobody noticed her walking down the hall. The students and teachers were still eating breakfast in the Great Hall, which made her task easier. Jenny slipped into the bathroom and shut the door carefully behind her.

Myrtle floated near one of the sinks. “Are you finally going to be done with that revolting potion of yours?” 

Jenny nodded. “I’ll be out of your hair soon, Myrtle.”

“You probably won’t even come to visit me anymore,” Myrtle complained.

Jenny snorted. “What are you talking about? I’m in here every month. You know the potion I take has to be brewed monthly in secret, right? Which means that I have to be in here every month until I leave Hogwarts. I won’t be abandoning you anytime soon.”

“Harry Potter said he would come to visit me and he never did!” Myrtle wailed before diving into one of the toilets.

Jenny sighed. “I can never win with her.” 

Jenny pulled her remaining supplies out of her bag. They included: Kelsey’s robes and shoes, Liam’s robes and shoes, two Hufflepuff ties, and clippings of their hair (labels included). She sorted the items and waited for Riley and Scarlet to arrive.

They stepped into the bathroom only a few minutes later. Riley looked disgruntled, while Scarlet looked serene as ever. Jenny suspected she was hiding her nerves about her OWLs. 

“I’ve got everything set up. Are you ready?” Jenny asked. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Riley grumbled.

Jenny ignored her and handed them everything. She also poured two separate portions of the Polyjuice Potion. Riley grimaced when she got close enough to get a whiff.

“Make sure you change into the robes before you drink the potion. Add the clippings, and then drink it straight away. You should be finished transforming fairly quickly. I don’t know exactly how long the potion will last, but it will definitely be enough time for you to get on the train. Hopefully, it will wear off by the time you arrive at Kings Cross station. If not, you know what to do. I’ll be waiting here until you finish transforming. We still have time before the boat crossing,” Jenny explained.

Scarlet and Riley disappeared into two separate stalls. Jenny vanished the remains of the potion and packed all of her supplies away. Then, she waited patiently for them to transform. Jenny heard the shuffling on them changing. Riley made a gagging noise as she drank the potion. A few moments later, she could hear the grunts and groans typical of a transformation. Eventually, the stalls swung open and identical copies of Kelsey and Liam stepped out. 

“I’m short!” Riley in Kelsey’s body complained.

“This is quite odd,” Scarlet in Liam’s body commented.

“We don’t have much time. Stow your robes and let’s go,” Jenny said, not waiting for them to follow. 

She led them to the perfect spot for the switch off: the boat house. Kelsey and Liam had to pass that point to get on the boats for their final crossing as part of the graduation ceremony. Jenny, Riley, and Scarlet all leaned against the boat house to wait for the seventh years to pass by. 

After what felt like hours, Jenny finally spotted the seventh years heading towards them. She ducked back into her hiding place. She explained the plan to Kelsey and Liam the night before. As soon as the mob of seventh years gathered by Hagrid for their boats, Jenny spotted Kelsey and Liam standing in the perfect position. She yanked them out of sight, and motioned for Scarlet and Riley to take their places. She almost snorted when Percy took the lead with his girlfriend Penelope. When she saw Scarlet and Riley get into one of the boats, Jenny breathed a sigh of relief. 

She turned to see that Kelsey had already cast her exceptional Disillusionment Charm on herself and Liam. Jenny cast her own charm.

“Let’s go. We want to get out of here as soon as possible,” Jenny whispered.

They snuck back to the castle, dodging the students heading to carriages. Jenny noticed Fred and George poking at Ron before choosing a different carriage. Now that the Dementors had been banished from the grounds of Hogwarts, sneaking around became much easier. When they reached the One-eyed witch, Jenny tapped the statue and helped Kelsey and Liam into the passageway. 

“That was seamless, Jenny,” Liam said as they walked to Honeydukes.

“Well, I have been working on this plan since Easter. I would be disappointed in myself if it was any less than perfect,” Jenny replied.

“I’ve never actually been in a secret passageway before, since you hid our trunks for us,” Liam commented.

Jenny sighed. “Well, you’ve been missing out. We’re almost there, so quiet down.”

They crept through the cellar and into the store. There were actually several customers despite the midmorning hour. Jenny helped Kelsey and Liam navigate without bumping into anyone. She breathed a sigh of relief when they exited the store. As soon as she found an empty alleyway, she pulled them to it and removed their spells.

Liam breathed a sigh of relief. “I don’t think I like being under that charm. It’s a bit uncomfortable.”

“Well, you’re really not going to like the Knight Bus then,” Jenny said.

Kelsey changed the subject. “You said you stored our trunks here?”

“I left them with Madam Puddifoot.” Jenny turned and walked to the tea shop, Kelsey and Liam following behind.

“You trust her?” Kelsey asked skeptically.

“She hired me when I was eleven years old without asking questions and pays me a higher wage than I deserve,” Jenny replied.

“Oh,” Kelsey said awkwardly.

Jenny retrieved their trunks from Madam Puddifoot without incident. Kelsey and Liam stood awkwardly in the doorway, despite Madam Puddifoot’s offers for tea and cakes. Jenny gave Madam Puddifoot a quick hug before leading them to the edge of town.

“I’m basically a regular on the Knight Bus now,” Jenny said, sticking her wand out.

Liam nearly fell over when the bus appeared in front of them with a bang. Even Kelsey looked startled. Jenny, now used to it, didn’t even flinch. The door swung open and Ernie’s face appeared, beaming at them.

“Hello Ernie, I’ve got three for Kelly St.,” Jenny said as she stepped onto the bus, dropping the coins into Ernie’s hand. 

She picked out a couple of chairs for Kelsey and Liam and then flipped one around so she could face them. “Be warned, you’ll be lucky if that chair stays upright for the trip.”

Liam and Kelsey took their seats cautiously, only to be knocked to the floor when the bus jumped locations. Jenny resisted the urge to snicker. They picked themselves up, but Liam looked even more put out than before. They held hands tightly, and Kelsey gripped a handhold on the side of the bus. 

“This is why most people just Apparate,” Kelsey grumbled.

“Well, you two might be able to Apparate, and might be able to take me along with you, but I still have the Trace. I didn’t want to attract anyone’s attention,” Jenny replied calmly. 

“I suppose you’re right. You’re telling me that there wasn’t any better transportation?” Kelsey complained.

“Well, no. We’ll probably arrive before the Hogwarts Train docks at Kings Cross.” Jenny opened her bag and pulled out a Chocoball.

“I didn’t know you liked those,” Kelsey said, surprised.

“There are many things you don’t know about me.” Jenny popped the treat into her mouth.

Kelsey sighed. “That is definitely true. I still don’t understand how you can be on your own with your… condition.” 

Jenny smirked. “I suppose I can tell you the truth, now that you’ve officially split from our family. There’s a treatment I take to mitigate the symptoms. I’m surprised you haven’t learned about it from our DADA lessons.”

“You know we haven’t had a competent Defense teacher before this year,” Kelsey complained.

Liam frowned. “You’re talking about Wolfsbane, right? Isn’t it expensive and extremely difficult to brew?”

“Yes, it is. However, I have a guardian with deep pockets, and I am an exceptional potioneer. I’ve been brewing it since I was about twelve years old.” Jenny wiped her chocolatey hands on her robes.

“You mean this whole time, our family could have been taking it?” Kelsey whispered.

“I’m pretty sure that someone in our family knows how to brew it. That’s why all of the initiations have been successful. If Grandfather Conri hadn’t been under control, he probably would have killed most of us,” Jenny said quietly.

Kelsey turned green. “That’s sick.”

“This is what I’ve been trying to tell you for years, but you didn’t listen,” Jenny pointed out. 

Kelsey buried her head in her hands. Liam patted her gently on the back. Jenny watched sympathetically, but without comment. Kelsey still had some work to do if she wanted to throw off their family’s brainwashing completely.

The bus arrived at their stop, interrupting their solemn conversation. Jenny helped them unload their trunks and waved goodbye to Ernie. The Knight Bus disappeared with another bang. Jenny glanced over at the yellow house, knowing that neither Kelsey nor Liam could see it. 

“Come over here so we’re not overhead,” Jenny said.

Kelsey and Liam gathered closely. “Your new home is Number 6, Kelly Street,” she said quietly.

Kelsey and Liam both startled. Jenny guessed they had just seen the house appear. After watching them sway back and forth for a bit, Jenny lost patience. She walked up to the front door and knocked.

The door immediately swung open and Jeremy swept Jenny up into a tight embrace. “I’ve been watching you outside the window, waiting for you to finish! I didn’t want to suddenly pop out of thin air and scare your sister. I missed you!”  
Jenny squirmed in his embrace. “Jeremy, I saw you last night. Let me go.”

Jeremy released her reluctantly. “Come in, you two! We don’t want to attract attention standing out in the middle of the road. Besides, I can already feel myself getting a sunburn.”

Kelsey and Liam shuffled inside with their trunks. Jeremy shut the door behind them and stepped to the side, gesturing at the entrance hallway. Liam’s mouth dropped open, and Kelsey began to cry.

“It’s beautiful!” she said, sniffling. 

Jenny shifted awkwardly. “Jeremy and Edward set everything up, and Riley picked out the furniture and decorations. Why don’t I give you a little tour?”

She showed Kelsey and Liam the rest of the house, making sure they got to see every single room. Liam looked more impressed as they went on, while Kelsey got quieter and quieter. When they finished the tour in the bedroom, Kelsey threw her arms around Jenny.

“I can’t express to you how much it means to me that you did this,” Kelsey said, “You went out of your way to rescue me, and make sure I would be safe and happy. You barely know Liam, and we haven’t gotten along very well in years. I don’t know how I could ever repay you for your kindness.”

“Just take care of your kids better than our parents took care of us.” Jenny patted her back gently. 

Kelsey finally pulled herself together and wiped her eyes. She glanced over at the bed, stroking the duvet gently. Jenny realized she was lost in thought, and started edging towards the doorway.

“Goodbye, Kelsey. I’ll write to you soon, okay?” Jenny called as she slipped out of the doorway. 

Kelsey murmured her goodbye. Jenny hopped down the staircase, passing Liam along the way. She gave him a quick hug and told him to check in on Kelsey. Jeremy handed him the key before following Jenny out of the house. He pulled his sweatshirt hood over his head and donned a pair of large sunglasses.

“Where are your things?” Jenny asked as they waited for a cab.

“Edward left with them before sunrise. I took a nap last night so I could be fresh for all of you. I made sure that everything was cleaned and tidied before you arrived. The only thing I have with me is my book,” Jeremy replied, waving his paperback at her.

Jenny squinted at the title. “Is that one of Vova’s romance novels? I thought you hated those.”

Jeremy blushed lightly and stowed the book in his sweatshirt pocket. “I’ve branched out.” 

The two of them rode in a cab to Edward’s parents’ house, chatting about Jenny’s school year and Jeremy’s home improvement project. They arrived around noon. The two of them walked in to see Riley napping on the couch. Jenny poked her foot.

Riley flinched and bolted upright. “Waaaah… Jenny what the hell?”

“Ah, sorry Riley. Just wanted to let you know I was here. Everything went smoothly. Kelsey and Liam are all settled in. How’d it go on your end?” Jenny said.

Riley rubbed her eyes. “It went off without a hitch. Scarlet and I transformed back about halfway through the train ride, so no worry there. I’m pretty sure I saw your mum and dad at the train station, though I can’t be sure. Edward picked me up. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget your trunk. I put it in your usual room with Sable. Hullo, Jeremy.”

“Hello, Riley. Why aren’t you sleeping in your bed?” Jeremy asked, amused.

“I was waiting for you two!” Riley complained, before stomping off to her room.

“That was a bit rude, Jeremy,” Jenny pointed out.

Jeremy shrugged. “Cousin privileges. Well, I’m beat. See you tonight. I think we’re taking the train around 7pm. Can’t be sure.” 

“Have a good rest, Jeremy,” Jenny said, suddenly feeling exhausted.

She went to her own room and fell asleep until Riley knocked on her door that evening. Jenny managed to pull herself together enough to change into Muggle clothes and redo her hair. She stumbled down the staircase to see the equally exhausted Jeremy and Vova. 

“Where’s Edward?” she asked, yawning. 

“Aunt Amora complained that she’s barely seen him. Edward is staying here for a month. He’ll meet us in Italy,” Jeremy explained.

“When are we going to Italy?” Jenny rubbed her eyes.

“In July. I thought it might be a nice change,” Vova said kindly.

“We’re going to be late for our train if we don’t go right now,” Riley said sharply.

The four of them shuffled out to Royal’s town car, where Sergius sat in the driver’s seat. Jenny fell asleep again on the way to the station and drooled on Jeremy’s sweatshirt. He didn’t even mention it to tease her. Jenny waved goodbye to Jeremy and went to her sleeping compartment with Riley. As soon as they had everything settled, Jenny pulled out her homework and began making notes.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were just like Hermione Granger,” Riley said pointedly.

Jenny dabbed her quill in ink. “I still don’t understand why they won’t let us use Muggle pens. You know I always work on my homework on the train, so I don’t have to do any of it during the summer. It’s not studiousness, it’s good preparation.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “I have absolutely no interest in working on classwork right now. The only thing I care about is getting answers out of my father.”  
“I’m sure Vova will tell you what you want to know. I don’t recommend asking him until after we’ve arrived at home. I think train rides make him a bit testy.” Jenny scribbled out one of her answers. 

“You’re right, of course. I just hate waiting. I’ve been wondering about Clara since the first time I encountered the dementors, and now that I’m so close, I don’t want to delay anymore,” Riley said petulantly. 

Jenny and Riley managed to stay up the rest of the night to get back on a nocturnal schedule. They played gobstones, the only board game Jenny was any good at, and also the only game she couldn’t cheat. Jeremy joined them as well to watch them play.

“What’s Vova up to?” Jenny asked.  
“He’s reading some scientific text that makes my eyes hurt to look at,” Jeremy explained.

“Poor Jeremy. Are you missing Edward?” Jenny teased.

“I’ve lived alone in a house with him for two months. I couldn’t miss him any less if I tried,” Jeremy said drily. 

“Edward’s not that bad,” Riley protested.

“You live alone with him then, working on a project with a deadline. He wanted to get everything done as quickly as possible, and I wanted everything to look perfect. It did not go well,” Jeremy replied.

“Well, the house looked absolutely beautiful, so obvious it didn’t go that badly. Maybe the two of you should start a business or something,” Jenny suggested. 

Jeremy grimaced. “Absolutely not. Besides, we’re not compatible with diurnal clients. It wouldn’t work out.”

“What are you going to do when you come of age?” Jenny asked, curious.

“I’m thinking of opening a business where I knit custom made products.” Jeremy pulled out his latest knitting project.

“I’ve never seen you make anything that wasn’t horrendously colored or shoddily made. You should think of something else,” Riley said.

Jenny hit Riley in the arm. “You don’t have to be so mean about it! You know that his projects have mistakes because he always tries to take on something too big, or he isn’t paying attention while he’s knitting. Besides, he could always pick different yarn. I love my scarf, it’s the best present I’ve ever gotten!”

Jeremy turned a bit pink. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about me.”

“You’re too easily flattered,” Riley said.

“Riley, you’ve been harsh with me ever since you got home from Hogwarts. What’s your problem?” Jeremy shot back at her.

Jenny sighed. “It’s not about you. You know how she’s been looking into the mysterious ‘Clara’? Well, she figured out that Vova hid something very big from her and she’s upset about it. Once they hash it out she’ll be back to fun Riley in no time.”

“Hey, I’m fun all the time!” Riley protested.

“That is definitely not true,” Jenny said.

Jenny wrote several letters on her train ride back to Romania. She sent Sable off with all three of them. She knew Sable could reliably deliver all three messages. She carefully tied the three notes to Sable’s leg and opened the window enough for her to fly through when the train stopped at the next station. 

_Dear Lupin,_

_I don’t even know if this will reach you. Have you talked to Padfoot about my inquiry? I am eagerly awaiting a response from him. I have so many questions. I hope you are doing well. I’ve been worried about you since you left Hogwarts. Please write to me and let me know you’re alright. Just so you know, I’m pretty sure we won’t have a Defense professor as good as you again. I’m already feeling dread at the prospect of learning from someone inferior._

_Sincerely,  
Jenny_

_Dear Kelsey,_

_How is everything going? Have you started your new job yet? I’m dying to know how you’re doing, settling into the house. Has Liam started looking for a Muggle job yet? I wish I could have stayed longer to help you, but Vova really wanted to go home. I can’t blame him. I miss the spooky castle. Perhaps you should get a pet or something to lighten up the place. You should definitely get an owl. I eagerly await your response._

_Jenny_

_Dear Fred and George,_

_As you well know, I almost never write to you during the summer. It’s not because I don’t like you, it’s because I’ve always been afraid you’ll send me something horrendous in the mail. I’ve decided to risk it. I don’t know if you noticed, but I did not leave Hogwarts on the Express this year. That is because I pulled off a heist like no other. I orchestrated a switcheroo so that my sister and her boyfriend could get away from our parents. As you know, they’re terrible. You should ask Percy if he noticed anything odd, because I did the switch right behind his back! I doubt you’ve done anything that creative. You’ll have to step up your game if you want to match up with a mischief maker as good as I am. I look forward to seeing what you come up with._

_Graciously,  
Jenny_

Jenny managed to finish her assignments for about half of her classes. She would have to finish the rest of them on the train ride back to London or work on them during the holiday. She tucked away her papers and packed up her trunk as the train pulled into the station at Bucharest.

She could tell on the ride back to the castle that Riley had run out of her remaining patience. She kept fidgeting in her seat, occasionally elbowing Jenny in the side. Jenny resisted the urge to make a rude comment and instead tried to ignore Riley entirely. 

Riley leapt out of the car as soon as they arrived at the castle. She raced over to the boot and pulled out her trunk and Nyx’s cage. She handed them to Abednego without a word and dragged her father into the castle.

When Jenny got out of the car, Wassa appeared carrying a note. Jenny took the note from her and opened it, feeling a sense of deep foreboding. She opened the envelope carefully and pulled out the letter.

_Dear Jennifer,_

_I know what you have done. Kelsey and her fiancé have vanished. You had something to do with it. I foolishly assumed that you would stop causing problems when you were exiled from the family. I was clearly mistaken. I always knew that you were a disobedient troublemaker, but I never thought you would sink this low. You have broken our agreement. I know you exposed our secrets and you will suffer the consequences. Emmett will never see another one of your letters, so don’t even bother writing again. He will know the truth about you: that you are a poison, that you betrayed us, and that you didn’t love him enough. You will regret the choices you have made. If you ever move against us again, you will be very, very sorry. Do not contact anyone from this family again. You are dead to us._

_Sincerely,  
Conrí_

Jenny gasped. She felt a sharp pain in her chest as tears began rushing down her cheeks. Her knees buckled. Jeremy caught her before she fell to the ground and held her to his chest. Her throat closed. Jenny could not hold back her grief. She almost let go of the letter when a piece of paper fell out. She managed to grab the paper and held it up. In her brother’s handwriting it read:

_Thank you, Jenny._

“Are you alright, Jenny?” Jeremy asked carefully.

“No. But it was all worth it,” Jenny said, tucking the note into her pocket. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will not be the last we hear from Jenny's family. Stay tuned for the final chapter, "In Which Riley Gets to Know Clara", coming next week!


	20. In Which Riley Gets to Know Clara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley learns the surprising truth about Clara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riley POV

Riley pulled her father all the way to his office and closed the door behind them. “I am tired of waiting. I want you to tell me the truth.”

Riley’s father straightened his clothes. “I am not sure what you mean, Riley. The truth about what?”

Riley put her hands on her hips. “I know all about Clara. She was my older sister, right? And she got Mother killed. I only know from what Professor Snape told me and the flashbacks I’ve gotten from the Dementors, but I want to know everything.”

Her father sighed. “I was hoping I would be able to wait until you were of age before I revealed the truth. Unfortunately, it seems that I no longer have that choice. It is better if I show you.”

He led Riley to his secret room, opening the door in practiced motions. He noticed that Riley was not surprised when part of the wall swung open. He reattached the door behind him.

“You’ve been in here before, haven’t you? I’m surprised you didn’t learn more,” Riley’s father said.

“I only had time to read a few of the journals,” Riley muttered.

“Ah, then you missed the most important thing. The key that would have explained everything.” Riley’s father moved to a cabinet and unlocked the door with a key from around his neck.

“What is that?” Riley asked as he pulled out a large bowl.

Riley’s father set it on the table; the silvery liquid filling the bowl shimmered. “I believe it is called a Penseive. It holds memories. I will take you through the memories in this bowl, to show you the truth you are seeking.”

“Who’s memories?” Riley asked.

“Why don’t you come with me and find out?” Riley’s father took her hand and pulled her into the Pensieve.

Riley’s nose touched the surface of the liquid, and then a strange falling sensation. When she opened her eyes, she stood next to her father in a strange mist. Her father closed his eyes and muttered to himself, and then they were pulled into a memory.

_Lola Dracula sat on an elegant bed. Sweat gleamed on her forehead, and her hair looked frizzy and tangled. In her arms she held a tiny baby with auburn hair. Lola smiled down at the baby, tears glistening in her eyes. The baby cooed, waving their arms about._

_“Welcome to the world, my sweet daughter. Your name is Clara Riley Dracula-Rosier,” she said gently._

_Riley blinked as the mist swirled to reveal a new memory._

_“Mama! Mama!” Clara said, running across the field on tiny legs._

_Lola sat on a lounging chair in the garden behind the castle. She read a small paperback book. The corner of her mouth curled into a smile as she heard her daughter approach. When Clara appeared at her side, Lola set down the book._

_“What is it, dearest?” she asked._

_“I found a bunny! You have to come see!” Clara said, tugging on her arm._

_Lola rose to her feet. “Alright, Clara. Show me where the rabbit is.”_

_“Not a wabbit, Mama, a bunny!” Clara insisted._

_Lola walked with Clara across the field, holding her small hand in her own larger one._

Riley surreptitiously wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to ignore the pang of jealousy in her chest. A moment later, the memory changed again. 

_“Mama, I want to show you something!” Clara said excitedly._

_“What is it, Clara?” Lola asked._

_“I can be a bat now!” Clara shifted her form and a small bat flapped her wings in front of Lola._

_“Wonderful, darling!” Lola clapped her hands._

_Clara turned back. “That’s not all I can do!”_

_Clara turned into mist, then flipped through all three of her forms. She did not do a very good job of keeping her clothes on, however. When she stopped shifting, her clothes lay in a pile on the ground._

_“My clothes still don’t stay on,” Clara grumbled._

_“That was very good, Clara! I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon,” Lola assured her._

_“I wanna make sparks!” Clara complained._

_“You’ll be able to use electricity soon enough, Clara. For now, I’m happy that you haven’t. It’s not good to develop too many powers at once.” Lola ruffled her hair lightly._

_“Why don’t you have any powers like that, Mama?” Clara asked._

_“I’m not a vampire. I’m a witch. I have different magic. That’s why Papa doesn’t have a wand like I do. He can’t do my kind of magic either,” Lola explained._

_“Do magic!” Clara pleaded._

_“All right.” Lola pulled her wand out and waved it, making sparks of magic appear in the air._

_Clara clapped her hands and giggled. Lola kept doing tricks with her wand, including conjuring bubbles. One popped on Clara’s nose and she squealed joyfully. Lola watched her with a soft expression on her face._

“My powers didn’t reveal themselves until my first year at Hogwarts!” Riley complained.

Her father said nothing as the mists swirled again. 

_Lola sat in the library, playing chess with Vladimir. The lights flickered in the room, causing Lola to sigh. Vladimir chuckled._

_“This is your fault, you know. Our daughter has developed electricity and it’s making the lights flicker,” Lola said drily._

_“You know that was from your side when she set the curtains on fire, right? From my experience, witch’s magic is much more dangerous than vampiric powers,” Vladmir said, moving one of his pieces._

_“You know we’re going to have to send her to a wizarding school, don’t you?” Lola said._

_“Is there a reason we can’t homeschool her?” Vladimir grumbled._

_Lola moved her rook. “She doesn’t spend any time with other children, Vladimir. She needs to make friends. If you don’t let her socialize, how is she supposed to become a functioning adult? Check, by the way, dear.”_

_“I just worry. Wizards aren’t known to be very welcoming to other species. How did you put me in check already?” Vladimir moved his king to safety._

_“My family isn’t representative of the entire wizarding world, dear. She still may need to hide her vampiric powers while at school. Checkmate,” Lola said as she moved her queen._

_“You always beat me at chess, my dear. Where do you think we should send her?” Vladimir asked._

_“Not Beauxbatons. They’ll find out she’s a vampire right away. It will have to be Hogwarts or Durmstrang.” Lola reset the chess set._

_“Isn’t Hogwarts where your cousin went?” Vladimir rested his hands in his lap._

_“Riley liked Hogwarts quite a bit. He said some of his happiest years were there. I’m partial to Durmstrang, because it’s closer to us. What do you think?” Lola said._

_“Wherever you think is best. I trust your judgement.”_

“That wasn’t Clara’s memory, so whose was it?” Riley asked.

“Mine,” her father said as they moved on to the next memory.

_“Are you all ready for school?” Lola asked, tidying Clara’s hair._

_Clara squirmed in her grip. “Yes, Mama. My trunk is packed.”_

_“Do you remember everything you’re supposed to do?”_

_“My name is Clara Rosier. My father is a Muggle. I must never use my vampiric powers. I live in Romania, in a normal house that definitely isn’t a castle,” Clara stated in a monotone voice._

_Lola sighed. “Please don’t say that last part like that.”_

_“I’ll be fine, Mama. Don’t worry so much,” Clara complained._

_Lola patted her jacket gently. “I just worry about my little girl.”_

_“I’m eleven now, so I’m not that little. Can we go now?” Clara brushed her mother’s hands off and marched out of the castle._

_Lola sighed. “I feel like my little bird is leaving the nest.”_

Riley barely had time to think about that before the Pensieve moved on. 

_Clara entered the halls of Durmstrang, staring up at the high ceilings in awe. She nearly bumped into several students along the way, who each gave her dirty looks. Clara wore the Durmstrang uniform: a thick coat with large fur trim and a fur hat. She looked almost entirely enveloped by it._

“I’ve been skipping most of the memories because otherwise we’d be here forever. This next one is much later,” her father explained.

_Clara and Lola stood in the hallway. Clara looked about seventeen, and her mother looked exactly the same as the day Clara was born. Clara seemed irritated and bored, while her mother appeared worried and frustrated._

_“I’m not going back to school this year, Ma. I’m tired of it. Durmstrang is a good school but most of the students there are puffed up brats. I have no interest in sitting through another year of it. I passed my Apparition test, and I have learned the basics. I don’t need to specialize, as I have no interest in going into a magical career. Besides, I’m of age, so there’s nothing you can do to stop me,” Clara said, crossing her arms over her chest._

_Her mother frowned. “You’re only of age in the wizarding world. In the Muggle world you won’t be of age until next year, and as a vampire you won’t be of age until you’re 21.”_

_“I’m sorry, Ma, but you can’t stop me. I’m quitting school and traveling the continent,” Clara insisted._

_“I can’t believe your father agreed to this,” Lola said, frustrated._

_“He didn’t. I decided this on my own. I talked to Uncle Riley, and he said that it might be good for me to travel.” Clara grabbed her small trunk and began walking out of the castle._

_“You will write to us, won’t you?” Lola said, worried._

_“Of course, Ma. I’ll see you around. I have lots of places I want to see,” Clara said, stepping out of the door and disappearing into the distance._

“Why did she decide to leave? If I had that much time with Mother, I never would have left,” Riley snapped.

“Clara didn’t know that she would run out of time so soon,” her father replied calmly.

_“Severus, have you ever been to the Eiffel Tower? Paris is a wonderful place. We should visit sometime,” Clara said as they strolled down the street, arms linked._

_“I have never left Great Britain. You know my work keeps me busy,” Severus replied, not unkindly._

_“Well, if you ever get a holiday we should visit there. I think you would enjoy it,” Clara insisted._

_“If you think I will enjoy it, then I certainly would. You know me very well,” Severus said warmly._

“She really did care for him,” Riley said, awe in her voice.

“I suppose she did. I’ve never met the man,” Riley’s father said neutrally.

_Clara and Severus sat in their living room, near the fire. Clara leaned her head against Severus’s chest. Severus stroked her hair gently._

_“I feel like I never see you. You’re always gone with your work,” Clara said._

_“I am very busy. I would like to spend more time with you,” Severus replied._

_“You aren’t getting tired of me, are you? You still love me?” Clara said nervously._

_“I will never get tired of you, Clara. You are a bright light,” Severus said, kissing her gently._

_Clara melted into his arms._

Riley didn’t know how to feel about that memory. A part of her felt intense jealousy, while another felt mostly uncomfortable. Her father clearly avoided any carnal memories, to which Riley felt extremely grateful. 

_Clara sat in a small but tidy flat, writing in her journal. She startled when she heard a knock on the door. Clara set her journal to the side and rose to answer the door. Lola stood on the other side, looking extremely worried._

_“I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Clara! You haven’t written to us in months! I worried you might be dead,” Lola said, hugging Clara tightly._

_“I’m sorry, Ma. I’ve been busy,” Clara grumbled._

_Clara stepped back and let her mother into the flat. She moved to make some tea, as Lola took a seat and began wringing her hands. Clara served Lola tea and biscuits. Lola did not even touch the offering before her._

_“You know how dangerous it is in England right now, don’t you? You should come back to Romania where it’s safe. He Who Must Not Be Named is taking over. You know he’ll never accept a half vampire, right? He’ll kill you if he finds out what you are,” Lola said frantically._

_“I can’t leave, Ma. I have to stay here,” Clara replied calmly._

_“Why? What is keeping you here?” Lola asked._

_“I fell in love,” Clara said._

_At that moment, Severus opened the door. “Clara, did you remember to buy meat at the store? We won’t have enough for dinner… who is this?”_

_Clara rose to her feet anxiously. “This is Severus Snape, Ma. Say hello to my mother, Severus.”_

_Severus set down the bags in his arms and approached cautiously. “Wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Rosier.”_

_Lola frowned. “You’re Eileen Prince’s boy, aren’t you? I heard she went and married a Muggle. My cousin went to school with her.”_

_Severus said nothing, but his face turned even whiter than normal. “Yes, that is true. I haven’t spoken to either of my parents since I left Hogwarts.”_

_Clara frowned. “You never told me anything about that, Severus.”_

_“It’s not something I normally like to talk about,” Severus said through gritted teeth._

Riley frowned. Why did her mother sound so accusing?

_Lola and Clara sat in the living room again. The sun hung high in the sky._

_“Are you sure about this man, Clara? He seems a bit like a cold fish to me,” Lola asked._

_Clara rolled her eyes. “Ma, he’s just shy! He told me he didn’t have a lot of friends in school.”_

_“I just worry. I don’t know much about him and you won’t tell me anything.”_

_“I don’t tell you anything because you’re so nosy.”_

_“That man is three years older than you. He won’t tell you about his work, he doesn’t share personal information, and he pulls away when you’re affectionate. How can I not be concerned?” Lola took Clara’s hand in hers._

_“Please trust me, Ma. I know how Severus feels,” Clara insisted._

_Lola nodded and hugged Clara. Clara leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder and hugged her in return. They stayed like that for several minutes, until Lola finally let Clara go._

_“Now, what have you been doing all this time?” Lola asked._

If Riley had known what the next memory would bring, she might have told her father to skip it.

_Clara stood over the kitchen stove, making eggs and bacon for breakfast. Severus walked quickly through the room, kissing her and murmuring a goodbye. He disappeared through the door in a flash. Clara put a kettle on for tea and served the eggs and bacon. Just as she set down the plates, she heard a knock at the door._

_Clara walked to the door and opened it, revealing none other than the Dark Wizard, Lord Voldemort. “Do you mind if I come in?” he asked._

_“Who are you?” Clara said nervously._

_“Severus works for me,” Voldemort replied easily._

_Clara stepped aside and let him in. “Would you like anything to eat?”_

_“No, thank you. Is there a place we can talk?” Voldemort said smoothly._

_“We have a living room.” Clara indicated the doorway._

Riley shut her eyes. “I’ve already seen everything after this. Please don’t make me watch it again.”

“What was the last thing you saw?” her father asked.

“Clara falling through the fireplace,” Riley muttered.

“I’ll show you what happened right after that,” her father said calmly. 

Riley opened her eyes to see the mists swirling again and breathed a sigh of relief.

_Clara tumbled out of a fireplace and into a living room. A man sat in a large armchair, deeply engrossed in a book. He startled and dropped it when she hit the ground with a thud. The man ran over to her and rolled her onto her back._

_“Clara, Clara are you alright? What happened?” he asked frantically._

_“Ma! Ma! No…” Clara moaned._

_“Where is Lola? What happened? Was it at your flat?” he questioned._

_Clara nodded slightly, tears dripping down her face. The man grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and shouted the address of Clara’s flat before stepping into the fireplace. Clara did not move as she cried into the carpet. Moments later, the man returned holding Lola’s body in his arms. Clara screamed when she saw her and covered her eyes. The man quickly left the room and returned empty handed. He reached for the telephone and dialed quickly._

_“Vladimir, it’s Riley. You need to come as soon as possible. Something terrible has happened. Lola’s dead,” he said as soon as the phone picked up._

_“Ma…” Clara wailed._

_“Clara’s unharmed, but something is very wrong. I think she saw what happened, but she’s not speaking in complete sentences. You need to take the next plane to London,” Riley ordered._

_He hung up the phone and walked over to Clara, pulling her into his embrace. She continued sobbing as he lifted her up and carried her to the nearby couch. He laid her gently on the cushions and covered her with a blanket, brushing the tears from her cheeks._

_“I’m so sorry, Clara. You need to rest,” Riley said gently._

_Clara eventually quieted and fell asleep._

Silent tears slipped down Riley’s cheeks. Her father gave her a gentle squeeze on the arm. Riley pulled herself together so she could watch the next memory. 

_Riley and Vladimir sat in two chairs in the living room. Clara lay nearby, covered in the same blanket and wearing the same clothes. Vladimir looked as pale as snow and Riley’s eyes had dark circles underneath them._

_“It was a Killing Curse. She doesn’t have a single scratch on her. The signs are obvious. Clara won’t speak, so I’m not sure who did it. If I had to guess, Severus Snape had something to do with it. I’ve been in contact with the Order of the Phoenix for a while, and he’s suspected of being a Death Eater,” Riley explained._

_“Do you think that he’s the one who killed Lola?” Vladimir asked._

_“No. Lola’s been staying at their flat for over a week. Why would he suddenly attack now? If I had to guess, I’d say it was He Who Must Not Be Named or one of the other Death Eaters, under his orders,” Riley said in hushed tones._

_“The Dark Wizard? Why would he kill Lola? She’s a pureblood, and she hasn’t been involved in the war at all,” Vladimir said desperately._

_“I suspect that Lola wasn’t the person he intended to kill. I think she got in the way.” Riley sipped his tea._

_“So Clara…” Vladimir broke off, horrified._

_“Clara hasn’t said a word. The only way to know is to extract her memory,” Riley said._

_Vladimir flinched. “I don’t want to hurt her.”_

_“It won’t. I’m just going to pull one small memory from her head. We can even return it if you want,” Riley said._

_“All right,” Vladimir relented._

_Riley disappeared from the room and returned holding a Pensieve. He placed it carefully on the table. Vladimir leaned over and eyed it suspiciously._

_“This is Pensieve. We will be able to view her memory in the third person,” Riley said._

_He walked over to Clara, drawing his wand. He placed the tip gently against her scalp. Riley muttered and then pulled his wand away, taking a long silvery strand with it. He carefully lowered the memory into the Pensieve._

_“Are you ready? It will likely be very painful to watch,” Riley cautioned._

_Vladimir straightened his shoulders. “I want to know the truth.”_

“Pay attention to this next part, Riley. This memory will reveal the full truth about Clara to you,” Riley’s father explained.

The memory changed moments later.

_Riley and Vladimir stood in a bedroom in Vladimir’s castle. Clara lay on the bed. She now wore a white nightgown, and her long auburn hair was twisted into a braid with a ribbon tied on the end. She stared at the wall, not speaking._

_“She hasn’t gotten any better. I don’t know what to do,” Vladimir said, wringing his hands._

_“That isn’t the only problem. I’ve heard rumors. I think He Who Must Not Be Named is still looking for Clara. He doesn’t usually let prey escape his grasp. Rumor is he’s upset because Clara distracted his servant. He wants to make sure that won’t happen again. Clara can never return to London. She might not even be safe here,” Riley replied._

_“What can we do?” Vladimir pleaded._

_“There is only one solution I can think of that would keep her safe and bring her back to the surface. It will require two potions and the Pensieve,” Riley explained._

_“What will it do?” Vladimir asked._

_“It will take her back to a time when she was still innocent. She will be freed from her dark memories,” Riley said as he left the room._

Riley opened her mouth to ask a question but the memory changed in a flash.

_“Clara, I have to ask an important question of you. Do you want to undo everything? Do you want to forget?” Riley asked as he sat at Clara’s bedside._

_Clara, who had not looked at Vladimir or Riley in some time, turned her gaze to him. She nodded slightly, tears dripping down her cheeks. Riley stroked her head lightly before rising and leaving the room._

_“She agrees. I have the potions prepared. It cost me a lot of money to get those brewed by an expert,” Riley explained to Vladimir in the hallway._

_Vladimir nodded. He disappeared into the room and returned with Clara held securely in his arms. She lay completely limp, limbs dangling and head propped against his shoulder. Vladimir followed Riley into the secret room, where two cauldrons and a Pensieve sat on a table. Vladimir laid Clara on the couch._

_“We should store her memories in the Pensieve first. I found a spell that can allow for a massive transfer without damaging her. We just need to hold her head over the bowl,” Riley said as he picked up the bowl and moved it next to the couch._

_Vladimir lifted Clara’s torso up and positioned her over the Pensieve, making sure her braid stayed out of the way. Riley waved his wand and tapped Clara’s forehead. Immediately, silvery fluid gushed from her ears and into the bowl. Vladimir cried out but Riley calmed him with a hand on his shoulder. Moments later, the fluid stopped and the Pensieve swirled with a variety of memories._

_Riley tucked his wand away and moved to the table. “Now that her memories have been fully copied, we can move onto the next step.”_

_“Thank you, Riley. I would not be able to do this without you,” Vladimir said fervently._

_Riley dipped a ladle into the orange potion into a large cup; he handed it to Vladimir. “It will be easier if she drinks the Forgetfulness Potion first. And, Vladimir? I would do anything to help my family, so there is no need for thanks.”_

_Vladimir helped Clara drink down the Forgetfulness Potion, while Riley poured the blue potion into another glass. They traded cups carefully. Just as Vladimir raised the new cup to Clara’s lips, Riley stopped him._

_“Are you really prepared to handle the consequences?” Riley asked._

_“Of course,” Vladimir said as he poured the potion down Clara’s throat._

_The minute Clara swallowed the potion, she began to shrink. Her hair receded into her head and her features softened. Clara shrank until she returned to the size of a toddler. Vladimir untangled her from the fabric and wrapped the nightgown around her like a blanket._

_“How old do you think she is now?” Vladmir asked as he cooed at Clara._

_“I suspect around two years old,” Riley replied._

_“What are you going to do now?” Vladimir said._

_“I am going to visit my cousin’s grave, and then I am going to do everything in my power to defeat He Who Must Not Be Named,” Riley said sharply._

_“I understand.”_

Riley’s mouth had dropped open. She was completely speechless, and did not expect to see one final memory.

_Vladimir stood in front of two stone graves, holding a baby Clara in his arms. “I’m sorry that you’ll never remember your mother or uncle. They sacrificed everything for you, because they loved you so deeply. You must grow up strong, my dearest Riley.”_

Riley felt herself being lifted up and they exited the Pensieve. When her feet hit solid ground, she swayed slightly. She looked at her father, completely at a loss for words. He solemnly returned her stare.

“You see, Riley? You are Clara, my only daughter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm curious to know if anyone guessed this! This was always the plan, and I actually modified this from the original story that I wrote with my friend back in middle school. In that version, Riley was Death Eater adjacent, and while her memory was wiped and she was deaged, she didn't get a name change. The connection she felt with Snape at their first meeting was her subconscious recognizing him, not a "soulmate" connection. Snape has never been Riley's soulmate, I want to make that clear. If you have other questions, feel free to comment! I may not answer if it's spoilery, which means it'll be answered "in story" later.

**Author's Note:**

> Stay tuned for the next installment in the series, "Riley and Jenny Do Not Participate in the Triwizard Tournament"


End file.
